Her Face Is A Map Of The World
by Eyes-Like-Open-Doors
Summary: Sequel to 'Hanging on Her Word' Cassie Malfoy: The unpredictable and powerful and beautiful daughter of Roxanne Garniar and Draco Malfoy; she and James Potter are best enemies. She's the target of a mysterious blonde haired man who looks like her.
1. The Girl Named After the Constellation

Chapter 1: The Girl Named After A Constellation

"Cassiopeia Malfoy! Now, you hold on just a minute."

Cassie groaned as her mother's small hand gripped her wrist with a surprising amount of strength. The girl turned slowly to face her mother. The woman's stern cerulean eyes bore into Cassie's gray-blue ones.

"If we hear word that you've been bothering that Potter boy again, we'll transfer you to Beauxbatons."

Cassie's father sighed slightly and ran a hand through his platinum hair; he was used to conversations like this.

"But, mum! He bothers me first!"

"Be the mature person and _ignore _him!"

"Roxanne, she's a child. What else is she going to do other than cause trouble?" Cassie's father said.

Roxanne Malfoy glared up at her husband. "She's broken _your _detention record, Draco."

Draco couldn't help but grin. "And they're all from bothering a Potter. I couldn't care less."

Cassie grinned back at her father.

Roxanne scowled and smacked Draco's arm. "Don't encourage her."

"Mum, calm down." Cassie was still smiling. "I'm sixteen now, I can manage to behave myself a bit."

Roxanne didn't see her husband wink at her daughter.

"I'm serious, Cassie. Don't get into more trouble. If you get expelled, don't come crying home to us."

Cassie only smiled. She hugged her mother and her father briefly. Her mother waved to her as she got on the train.

Draco wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders. "She really ought to have been a Slytherin." He grumbled. "How did you give birth to a Gryffindor?"

Roxanne laughed at him. "You're just upset that Harry's son likes her."

"It really is a shame that James is awful at hiding his feelings."

The Malfoys turned towards the new voice. Hermione Granger, now Weasley, stood beside them with her husband. She smiled at Roxanne; Roxanne smiled back.

"I don't think any of the kids realize it though."

Hermione laughed. "Not even Cassie, as perceptive as she is."

The four adults waved to their children as the train pulled out of the station. Roxanne glimpsed a flash of her daughter's pale hair as the girl turned with an angry face to the dark haired boy sitting across from her in the compartment.

* * *

><p>On board the Hogwarts Express, the two most famous Gryffindors were already fighting.<p>

"Bloody hell." Someone said as they passed the compartment. "It's been not even five minutes."

"What do you expect? Their fathers hated each other." Someone else said.

"But their mothers are friends!"

"Clearly that doesn't make a bloody difference."

The compartment door slid open then. The noise from inside became clear in the corridor. A petite girl with flaming red hair stepped out, her face beet red with frustration. She slammed the door closed behind her.

"They could at least cast a blasted silencing spell." Rose Weasley cried as she stepped into the opposite compartment.

"But that would be far too planned for Cassie Malfoy and my brother." An auburn haired girl said as she flipped lazily through a magazine. "Spontaneous seems to be the only way they live their lives."

"Honestly, Lily. How do you live with him?"

The youngest Potter raised her eyebrows. "Are you kidding? He only saves this kind of stubborn fighting for Malfoy."

Rose snorted. "He really knows how to charm a girl. Honestly, the sexual tension is so bloody thick if I had spent another minute in there, I would have died from suffocation."

Lily grimaced. "Please, I don't want to hear about anything sexual when it comes to my brother." She flipped her magazine shut. "What was the fight about this time?"

"James said her skirt was too short and she looked like a slag."

Lily burst out laughing. "Merlin, he's got it for her bad, doesn't he?"

Rose only nodded as she grinned.

* * *

><p>"For the last time, I am not a slag!" Cassie shouted.<p>

James Potter rolled his vivid green eyes. "You sure as hell dress like one."

"Why the fuck do you even care?"

"Because you represent my house! I don't want people to think of whores when they hear the name Gryffindor."

Cassie's gray eyes hardened to ice. "Well then, I guess Gryffindor is a house of whores and arrogant bastards!"

He stared at her with nearly tangible hatred. Her pale eyes flashed; her jaw muscles tightened and bunched. Her long fingered hands curled into white knuckled fists.

And then, suddenly, she was gone. The compartment door rattled behind her.

Rose looked up when Cassie sat gracefully next to Lily. "For once, you actually walked away from a fight with James Potter." She drawled, a bit surprised.

The Malfoy heir's gray eyes, flecked generously with black and blue, danced slightly. A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. "It won't happen often."

"You really should stop encouraging him, Malfoy." Lily said lightly.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "He insulted me first."

Lily grinned at the taller girl. "You didn't have to hike up your skirt just before you saw him! You knew it would start an argument."

Cassie's grin was mischievous. "I do love a good yell in the morning." She laced her fingers together and stretched her arms over her head, feeling the satisfying release of pressure in her back.

Rose shook her head. "You really should have been a Slytherin."

Cassie shrugged. She had heard that many times before. "Perhaps the Sorting Hat's gone loopy."

The three Gryffindor friends fell into a comfortable silence. Lily picked up her magazine again; Rose cracked open a heavy volume; Cassie directed her attention to the window.

* * *

><p>Cassiopeia Malfoy was not your average witch in any sense of the world. From her blood, to her magic, to her looks, to her personality, she was not what anyone would expect.<p>

Her parents had married just after they graduated from Hogwarts. The Malfoy heir had defied his imprisoned father's wishes and married the half-blood Garniar heir. It had been the talk of Wizarding London, along with the marriage of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, and the engagement of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

The pureblood society had been enraged when they heard about the engagement. This wedding meant the end of the pureblood Malfoy line. However, both Draco and Roxanne had completely ignored the powerful families and their stage whispered opinions.

The birth of their daughter five years later had been published on the front page of _The_ _Prophet_.

Cassie had been a mystery as a child. She was the child of two people with extremely powerful Old Magic. No one knew if she'd be an average magical witch or something more.

She had turned out to be so much more. She was able to wield both of the Old Magics. The ability to heal and harm from her mother and the ability to create a strong mental and physical bond with those she felt passionate towards from her father. She had inherited both her mother's strength in dueling and her father's skill in potion making.

At sixteen, she stood four inches taller than her mother. She was lean and long limbed like her father. Her long hair was a dusty blonde color. Her eyes were pale gray flecked with dark blue. Her ivory skin was smooth and flawless.

No one really understood why she was sorted into Gryffindor. She was clever and a prankster. Cassie was slightly unstable and entirely unpredictable.

She was close friends with Lily Potter and Rose Weasley and treated most of their relatives politely and she and James Potter fought as much as they breathed.

* * *

><p>"Cass, we're almost there."<p>

Lily's voice jarred Cassie from her thoughts of the summer. Cassie's eyes flicked up from the sparkling window to her right. She looked at Lily and Rose, who were already in their uniforms.

"First day of sixth year, girls." She said with a smile.

Rose sighed. "I can't believe it's almost over."

"Don't be like that, Rose." Lily sighed. "Just be happy that we aren't seventh years yet."

"Speaking of seventh years." Cassie said with a smirk. "Did you guys see Wood on the platform?"

"Merlin! I didn't know that a man's body could look that perfect." Lily gushed.

Rose snorted. "We're not even in the school yet and you're already acting like frivolous love struck witches."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Like you haven't been drooling after Cormac." She named the Ravenclaw seventh year that competed with Rose for first place at Hogwarts.

Rose flushed. She opened her mouth to retort but then quickly shut it.

"Come on, Rosie." Lily flung her arm around Rose's shoulders. "You should find something else to channel your passion into. Other than studying."

"Cormac may do nicely." Cassie said with a smirk as she walked out before them.

James was leaving with his brother Albus and Hugo Weasley. He glared at Cassie but his expression softened when he saw she wasn't looking at him. His green eyes watched her flowing form as it strode purposefully down the aisle of the train. The crowd of third and fourth year students parted before her like leaves in the wind.

Rose and Lily looked at each other, containing sad and knowing smiles, before following Cassie.

* * *

><p>"Bloody hell." Cassie muttered crossly, wading through a crowd of second years in the school corridor. "Get out of the blasted way!"<p>

One student – who was either incredibly brave or particularly dim – didn't move out of her way fast enough. Her foot, suddenly tangled between his legs, set him stumbling away from her with an aching pain in his back where she shoved him.

"Cass, play nice." Lily said in a low voice.

"I'm hungry!" The blonde cried.

"Malfoy, relax." James was suddenly at her side. "Doesn't matter when we get there, we still have to sit through the sorting and the speeches."

She scowled, in a way that reminded the professors of her father, when she saw the crowd of younger students part easily before him. "Do I get _any _respect around here?"

He smirked. "Clearly not. Then again, you aren't the son of Harry Potter."

A slick move of her right leg sent him sprawling onto the ground. She stepped over him. He cursed and grabbed at her ankles. She hissed at him and danced easily out of the way.

"Stupid Malfoy." He growled.

Her scowl blossomed into a charming smile. "Oh, Potter, you just make my heart pound." She rolled her eyes at him before turning on her heel and striding towards the Great Hall.

"Very charming, James. Very smooth." Lily laughed at him as she walked by him.

"I'm not exactly interested in charming _Malfoy!_" He cried, leaping to his feet and storming after them. He was completely ignored by the three girls.

As Cassie walked into the Great Hall, those already there turned to look at her. James had caught up to her now and they were arguing under their breath. Rose and Lily trailed behind, silent and observant of the two.

Whispers spread through the younger student.

_There they are._

_There he is._

_There she is._

James Potter – the hero's son.

Cassie Malfoy – the girl named after the constellation, the Death Eater's daughter.

The Prince and Princess of Gryffindor.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>_So, this is the requested sequel of "Leave You Hanging on Her Words". I hope the first chapter's interesting enough to have some of you continue reading it. I've (obviously) changed around some things. _

_For one, Scorpius doesn't... exist, to be blunt. And the kids are pretty much all seventh or sixth years. I know that it wouldn't ever work out that way because of the ages in such. But they're all around the same age. Not all of the NextGen kids will have significant parts, this story will mostly focus on Cassie and James. _

_I do plan on writing a fanfic with all the NextGen characters, though it'll most likely be written after this one is finished._

_Anywho, rate, review, follow, and/or alert if you like! Thank you for those who are reading!_

_xx_

_K_


	2. Of Hallways and Howlers

Chapter 2: Of Hallways and Howlers

* * *

><p>"You've got to be joking." Cassie's voice was flat as she stared at the Potions professor.<p>

"I do not joke, Miss Malfoy."

"But you can't partner us! You've _never _partnered us before!" The pale haired girl protested.

"Well seeing as last year, you and Miss Potter destroyed nearly my entire laboratory last year, I think this decision is for the wellbeing of everyone in the school."

Lily flushed. "That wasn't my fault!"

"It wasn't mine either." Cassie said, glaring at James.

"That's enough!" The teacher cried, her voice tight with anger. She preceded to pair up the students.

"No. No. No." Cassie repeated as she saw the last person in the room, who was to be her partner.

James grinned. "At least now you might pass Potions, Malfoy."

"My marks are better than yours!"

"Potter and Malfoy!" The professor cried. "You _will _behave or you will both have detention for two months with Finch."

Both of the students glowered but sat next to each other stiffly.

Rose and Lily, who had been luckily paired together, smothered their laughs in their hands. Cassie turned to glare at them and she opened her mouth to snap at them.

The Potions professor smacked the girl in the back of the head with a rolled up newspaper. Cassie hissed under her breath.

"Miss Malfoy, detention for you and your partner if you don't focus on the lesson."

"I swear to Merlin, Malfoy." James grumbled under his breath. "If you get me detention on the first day, I won't hesitate to hex you."

She glared at him. "Unlike your noble self, I don't need an _excuse_ to hex you, Potter."

His brow furrowed and he snorted. "You don't want to displease dear ole' daddy, do you?"

Cassie's mouth tightened. She turned her gaze straight ahead as the Potions professor drawled on. Thinking he had won, James smirked.

He didn't expect Cassie to mutter something under her cough ten minutes later, but suddenly he found himself unable to move or speak. His eyes saw her shoulder's shaking with silent laughter.

_Ugh, Malfoy! You won't get away with this! _He shouted at her furiously in his head.

Her pale eyes were shining and dancing mischievously. The smirk she gave him was as famous as her father's had once been. "Serves you right, prat." She whispered to him.

* * *

><p>As soon as class was dismissed, Cassie freed James from his enchantment as she strode away from him. Still furious, he leapt to his feet and hurried after her. He had his wand in one hand and his bag in the other. He could see the flash of her pale hair just about to turn up the stairs at the end of the corridor. He took off running.<p>

"Malfoy!" He shouted as he caught up to her.

She turned to him with an innocent smile on her face. "Yes, darling James?"

They were in a brightly light corridor full of students. None of them took any heed to move out of either Cassie's or James' way until James cast his bag aside and raised his wand hand.

"_Stupefy!_"

Suddenly, every person in the hallway fell to the floor and pressed themselves against the corridor wall. No one wanted to get stuck in the middle of a fight between two powerful sixth years.

With lightning fast reflexes, Cassie flung her back and robe aside, dodged the curse and sent her own flying. "_Expelliramus!_"

_"Protego!" _James was a good dueler. "_Engorgio!"_

But Cassie was just a bit better. "_Evanesco!" _She cried, aiming at herself. She disappeared with a snap.

James hesitated, searching the air in vain for some sign that she was there. "_Homenum Revelio."_

Cassie appeared just six feet in front of him, her wand pointed straight at him. "_Impedimenta!" _

James sprawled backwards onto his behind.

"Malfoy!" A whip like voice made Cassie cringe and turn around.

Minerva McGonagall strode towards the two of them, her robes flapping behind her. Anger sparked in her eyes. She grabbed the tall girl's ear and dragged her away from James, who had leapt to his feet.

"Is it honestly that hard to restrain yourself? It's the first day and I haven't even eaten lunch! Yet you insist on interrupting _my _day with your petty flirtatious problems! Mr. Potter! Follow me if you please."

No one dared laugh as they watched their formidable Headmistress drag Cassie away by her ear. James followed with a small smirk on his face.

"What on _earth _were you thinking?" McGonagall shouted.

Cassie and James stood beside each other in front of her desk. James' head was lowered in shame but Cassie thrust her chin out stubbornly.

"Do you not understand that the rules are enforced for a reason? You could have seriously injured somebody!"

"But we didn't."

"Don't you dare be smart with me, Cassiopeia!" McGonagall snapped.

Cassie's jaw flexed and her eyes sparked a bit. Only James could see that she laced her fingers together behind her back as tightly as she could.

McGonagall sighed, running a hand over her face. "I'll be sending letters to your parents."

"Shit." Cassie swore under her breath.

James was thinking exactly the same thing.

McGonagall sat down and summoned two sheets of paper. "You will wait here until I finish."

James and Cassie waited side by side. James shifted his weight from foot to foot. Cassie stood perfectly still.

The great bird that made its home in the Headmistress's office trilled as it flew through the window. The phoenix circled the Headmistress before landing lightly on Cassie's shoulder. It ran its wicked beak through her fair hair.

Cassie unwound her fingers and reached up to stroke the phoenix's smooth and fiery plumage. Fawkes trilled again in pleasure.

James' bottle green eyes slid over to observe Cassie. He took in her proud stance, the powerful bird, and her dangerous eyes. His eyes fell to the black wand tucked in the waist band of her skirt. The silver swirling designs of the hilt were visible, as were a couple inches of the perfectly polished wood.

Her piercing eyes suddenly bore into his.

They stared at each other for a long moment. There wasn't any hate in their eyes. James smiled slightly. Cassie's mouth turned up in one corner and she shrugged the shoulder that Fawkes wasn't perched on.

Both of them were stifling laughter by the time McGonagall looked up.

Fawkes flew over to her and grasped the letters in his claws before streaking out of the window. McGonagall glared at them.

"Detention for the both of you with Filch tonight. If you _ever _do this again..." She didn't have to finish her threat. "Now get out of my office before I regret favoring the two of you."

Cassie and James turned as one and walked towards the opening to the corridor. They wouldn't both fit through the doorway at once. Cassie shoved James hard out of the way with a hiss before storming out.

* * *

><p>The detention they served that night was what they both expected: polishing trophies without magic as Filch sat in the corner humming to himself.<p>

"I sweat to Merlin, he's mental." Cassie muttered to James as they scrubbed side by side.

He snorted. "Course he is. He's ancient. Been here since our grandparents were here."

Cassie hissed as that damned tabby rubbed against her ankles. "Bugger off." She snapped, shoving the cat away with her foot.

The cat hissed and scratched her calf. She fought the instinct to smack the fluffy thing.

"This is your fault, by the way."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "You say that every time."

"That's because it's the truth. If you weren't so stubborn, we wouldn't fight so much."

She raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You like it just as much as I do, Potter."

He shrugged and was silent for the rest of the two hour detention.

* * *

><p>At breakfast the next morning, Cassie patiently awaited the Howler she expected from her parents. James had a similar expression of anticipating dread on his face across the table from her.<p>

Finally, her mother's regal black owl soared towards the Gryffindor table. It screeched when it saw Cassie; the beast never liked the troublesome girl. It dropped a thick red envelope on the empty plate before her, making a grab at her long hair. Cassie deftly avoided the owl's wicked talons while throwing a scrap of meat at it.

Sighing, Cassie rested her chin on her hands and waited for the Howler to begin. She closed her eyes briefly before the envelope opened with a loud snap.

"_Cassiopeia Malfoy!_" Her mother's voice made everyone in the room flinch save for the Malfoy girl, who was used to this. "_I _cannot_ believe you! Just a day ago I told you specifically not to bother the Potter boy! What the hell was going through your bloody head when you decided to _curse_ him in the middle of the hallway? You received detention on the first day! We received a letter from McGonagall on the first day! I have half the mind to take you out of school this instant and ship you to France!"_

Cassie rolled her eyes.

_"Don't you roll your eyes at me!"_ Roxanne shouted, surprising Cassie. _"You're just as bad as your father! The boy could have been seriously injured!"_

_"Not that I would have minded."_ Cassie's father interrupted suddenly.

_"Draco Malfoy!"_ Roxanne snapped. _"You'll get your own bloody Howler!"_

Cassie couldn't help but laugh.

The Howler snapped again. _"Cassie Malfoy! I swear to all the gods if you cause trouble again, you will regret it! Now, go apologize to James Potter!"_

The red envelope exploded in flames and Cassie didn't even flinch. She watched as the ash dropped onto her plate and then disappeared.

She looked up and saw James watching her. He had a letter in his hand. She cocked an eyebrow and tilted her head slightly. He smiled, handing her the letter wordlessly.

_James Sirius Potter!_

_It's the first blasted day of school and you and Cassie have already gotten in a fight? And detention? I'm ashamed. I thought we talked about this over the summer! Roxanne and I are friends, how hard is it just to get on with her daughter? I have nothing more to say to you. If you get in more trouble, I will not hesitate to send you a Howler. No doubt, Roxanne sent one to Cassie already. Now go apologize to the girl for Merlin's sake._

_-Mum_

_Ps- Jamie, I'm proud of you. Only because it's a Malfoy. –Dad._

Cassie smiled widely. She handed the paper back to James.

"At least we're making someone proud."

He grinned, crumpling the paper. "I'm not sorry."

"Neither am I." She raised an eyebrow in a challenge.

"Frigid twat."

"Arrogant bastard."

"Stuck up bitch."

"Daddy's little princess." Cassie said this with a wicked grin.

"Do you have the Potions homework?" James dug a piece of paper out of his bag.

"Yeah. Here. Don't copy it word from word; you got me a week of detention last year."

"I'm not stupid, Cass."

"I beg to differ, Potter."

Cassie took a bite of the warm bread and smiled impishly. James just rolled his eyes as he swiftly copied her homework from the night before.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**AH! Such a boring filler chapter. I need to make it clear that Cassie's relationship with James isn't all hate. They've got the foundation of an explosive love/hate relationship and I don't plan on wasting that ;). **

**The plot will start soon, I promise!**

**Review! Review! The button's right there!**

**Thanks dears!**

**xx**

**K**


	3. The Chaser and A Creeping Blonde

Chapter 3: Chasers and Creeping Blondes

* * *

><p>"Listen up!" James' voice cut through the brisk fall air as he stood in the center of the Quidditch pitch.<p>

The crowd of students dressed in Quidditch gear in reds and golds fell silent and looked at him. James searched the crowd, noting faces he recognized and those he didn't. He frowned slightly.

"Where's Malfoy?"

"Right here, Potter." Cassie drawled as she walked by him, her shoulder bumping against his. She was wearing breeches tucked into boots and a dark red tank top. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She had a black broom slung over one shoulder.

"You aren't in uniform." James pointed out. "Where are your pads? You're a Chaser, Malfoy."

She smirked. "I'd be quite the poor Chaser if I can't dodge a few Bludgers during a _tryout_."

He rolled his eyes and promptly ignored her. "Alright!" He raised his voice to be heard. "Those of you who've tried out before know the drill! We go through a series of exercises and drills. As captain, I'll eliminate those who aren't the best. Then we'll pay some scrimmage games. Those who make the team will be told by me by lunch tomorrow.

"First, we have speed races. Up in the air! Give me five laps around the pitch!"

He watched the reflexes as everyone mounted their brooms and kicked into the air. As usual, Cassie shot into the sky first. He watched her for a moment as she bent forward and leaned into the curve of the pitch as she flew.

She was the best Chaser in school; there was no doubt she'd get on the team.

James considered this reason enough to ignore her for the rest of the afternoon and he focused on the rest of the fliers.

When the rest of the fliers were on their third lap, James noticed Malfoy's absence. At once, he scanned the pitch and saw her hovering near the stands laughing with Rose and Lily.

"Malfoy!" He shouted furiously.

"Captain?" She drawled lazily, flying down to him. She was the picture of ease, her ankles crossed under her broom and her hands resting lightly in front of her.

"Stop slacking. Finish your laps."

"Already have." She said smugly. "I raced a third year for a bit, got bored and finished the laps so I could talk." She raised an eyebrow. "Did you honestly think I'd be as slow as all of them? None of them are even trying!"

He sighed. "I guess not. Go provoke Weasley, maybe he'll go a bit faster." He looked to where Hugo was lazily flying a bit higher than the rest of them.

Cassie grinned. "My pleasure." She whipped her broom around and streaked towards the red head. "Hullo there, Weasley." She grinned at him mischievously as she circled him.

He groaned. "Cassie, what do you want?"

"Oh, just to point out how pathetically slow you seem today. Was it something you ate this morning? You did seem to be stuffing your face more than usual."

He frowned. "Bugger off, Malfoy."

She spun around him, her hair floating around her face. "Touch a nerve did I, Weasley? Maybe that fifth year up there will snatch your position this year. Even he seems to be a bit faster than you."

His scowl darkened. "Bloody hell, you're annoying today."

He bent forward a bit and his broom shot forward. Whooping, Cassie flew after him, nipping at his tail and throwing insults at him. The pack behind them sped up as well. Cassie soon lost interest and held back a bit until she was flying next to an extremely attractive boy in her year.

"Fancy seeing you here, Woodie."

Bradley Wood, the son of Oliver Wood, grinned at the mischievous Gryffindor now flying next to him. "Hello there, lass."

"Going for Beater again?" She asked, running her gaze over his arms. _Bloody hell. _

"Yes, and you're going for Chaser?"

She grinned. "Of course." She leaned back slightly.

"And how's Potter taking that?" He looked down to see their captain scowling at them.

Cassie laughed. "He'd be completely off his rocker is he didn't put me on the team."

"Well, aren't you the modest one." He smirked at her.

She raised both eyebrows. "Modest and the best." She winked at him.

His laugh was warm and it made Cassie smile. He was a lot like his father, though not nearly as brilliant as Quidditch. But he had the same build, the same smile and the same bloody accent. After James, he was one of the most sought after boys in school. And a certain Cassie Malfoy had the pleasure of seeing him shirtless during Quidditch nearly every day.

"Alright, if you're done, get down here!" James shouted.

Cassie landed a little ways away, as graceful as a cat, and waited for his instructions.

Two hours later, a sweaty Cassie walked towards the castle with James. At some point, her hair had fallen from the ponytail and it spilled around her face in a tousled mess. Her cheeks were flushed. James noticed that somehow, she still smelled good.

"Must be nice being captain." She said after a long silence.

His grin was lopsided. "Of course. I don't have to try out _and _I get to torture you for the entire season."

She shoved him hard. He only laughed at her annoyed scowl.

"By the way, you really should stop drooling whenever you see Wood." He ducked the swift blow she tried to land on him with her broom stick.

"I do _not _drool, Potter!" She hissed.

"Yes, you do. It's sickeningly obvious you want to shag him." He dared to look at her.

Her mouth was in a tight line. Her eyes were narrowed. And suddenly, her face brightened and she grinned. "You're jealous."

To say James reacted poorly to that was a pathetic understatement. He stuttered and blushed and stumbled a few paces away. "I am not jealous!" He finally shouted.

Cassie spared him her laughter, hiding it behind a cough, but her lopsided smile was enough to frustrate him even more. "How cute! I didn't even know you had the emotional capacity to blush!"

He let her walk ahead of him, fuming and confused at exactly the same time. "I'm not jealous, Malfoy!" He yelled.

She raised a hand, flipping her middle finger up.

He ran a hand through his messy hair. _Fuck. _He berated himself mentally with all the curses he could think of. _Jealous idiot… _

* * *

><p>"Cassie, we're going into Hogsmeade. You wanna come?"<p>

Cassie looked up from her book. Rose, Lily, James and Hugo stood in front of her. Hugo was chewing on a candy and James jingled a few coins in his pocket.

"Sure, let me grab some galleons before we go."

"Come on, Malfoy. You can just pay me back." James reached down to help her up.

"Have you guys already signed out with McGonagall?" Lily asked as they walked down towards the Entrance Hall.

"Of course." Hugo said with a smile.

"Why are we going this way?" Cassie asked. "We should take one of the tunnels. James, do you have the map on you?"

James nodded and pulled a yellowed, folded up piece of parchment from inside his coat. He opened it. "There's no on near the North passage way."

"What's the password for that one again?" Hugo asked as he dug into his pocket for more sweets.

"That one's _phoenix fire_, isn't it?" Cassie asked absently.

Rose nodded.

The five students wandered through Hogsmeade for the rest of the day. They drifted in and out of stores, focusing more on their conversations than the goods. Hugo bought nearly half the candy store and forced Lily and Rose to help carry all the bags. James and Cassie walked behind them, arms linked against the cold, talking Quidditch.

"That first year may make a good Chaser." James was saying.

Cassie opened her mouth to protest. The boy was so light that a sudden breeze may blow him off course. She suddenly felt her neck prickle. The hairs on her skin rose slightly. She stiffened and looked around from under her lashes, searching for whoever was watching her.

James noticed the sudden change in her but didn't remark on it. He continued to speak as if she was listening.

Cassie's eyes flit around the slightly crowded street around them. They alighted on people's faces.

_There. _

She threw her head back to lock eyes with the tall and gaunt man staring at her from a little ways down the street. He was unnerving, with long scraggly pale hair and wild eyes. Those eyes glared at her. Cassie flinched mentally at the ferocity of his hatred.

She studied him carefully. His cloak was shabby and it completely hid the clothes underneath. He held himself oddly, as if he was important but he didn't want people to notice him. He stood half in the shadows of a building. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes looked huge in the thin face.

His gaze and hate was nearly tangible. Cassie set her jaw and stared straight back at him.

She was Cassie Malfoy. She wouldn't be made nervous by an odd beggar.

"Cass." James hand on her shoulder was gentle.

She suddenly was very aware of James' warm and safe presence by her side. Her lip twitched as she continued to look at the man. She wanted to hex him.

"Cass, ignore him." James' voice was low in her ear as he tugged her gently. "Let's go to the joke shop. The others are already there."

Cassie finally tore her gaze from the tall blonde man and turned into James' side. He led her down the street. She looked up at him and saw him glaring over his own shoulder at the man.

Something tickled the back of Cassie's mind. Some knowledge that she couldn't grasp and she would bet anything it had to do with that man.

It wasn't until much later, when she was falling asleep in the warmth of her bed, when she grasped the knowledge that was floating in her mind.

He looked very much like her own father.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**Such a short chapter :( Sorry, but I got what I wanted across. **

**Any guesses on who the blond is? Of course, I know, but you guys don't ;)**

**I've been busy with classes and studying lately, so the writing's not as great, but I'm trying to keep up with my habit of swiftly updating. I'm pretty sure I finished updating all of "Hanging on Her Word" in a week or so and I didn't want to disappoint those who are anticipating this one.**

**Thanks for sticking with me and this story! **

**xx**

**K**


	4. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey everyone!

I know it's been a while since I've updated this one, but I've been swamped with classwork and studying and such. I'm also starting to think about the _National Novel Writing Month, _which is pretty time consuming. I _DO NOT _plan on abandoning this story, I'm just taking a bit of a break. I'm not as in to this one as I was with "Her Word" but I'll definitely continue it.

I'm so sorry if you've been waiting for an update and are eagerly awaiting the next chapter! I know how it feels when authors don't update and I feel awful not continuing but I'm just a tad overwhelmed at the moment. :(

Thanks for reading (& hopefully understanding)

x

K


	5. Nightmares, Loveseats & Jealousy

Chapter 4: Nightmares, Loveseats & Jealousy

* * *

><p><em>Those dried lips pulled up in a wicked blade of a sneer. "I will not let your blood taint my family."<em>

Cassie woke with a scream. She leapt out of her bed as if it was burning her and began to pace anxiously. She was just barely able to restrain her sobs. She looked at the bed, which was drenched with sweat and the sheets on it were tangled around each other. Cassie ran her fingers nervously through her damp hair. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Her breathing was heavy.

"Cassie?" Lily's tired voice came from the bed across from hers.

"I'm fine." Cassie's voice broke and wavered.

"No, you're not." Lily woke up all the way and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. "This is the fourth night you've woken up like this."

"I'm fine!" Cassie's voice had barely any conviction in it. "Lily, I'm fine."

"You should go to see Pomfrey. What time is it?" She blearily looked at the curtained window.

Cassie checked her watch. "About two."

"For Merlin's sake, Cassie! What's going on with you lately?" Lily stood up. "Let's go into the common room."

"Lily, go back to bed. Honestly, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Lily looked worry.

"Yes."

Lily watched her with concern as the tall Gryffindor walked out of their dormitory.

Cassie shut the door behind her and leaned against it with a sigh. She ran a hand over her damp eyes and muffled a sob against her palm. She stumbled down the spiral staircase, across the common room, and flung herself into the comfortable red loveseat in front of the fire.

She lit the fire with a gasped word and curled in on herself. She wrapped her arms around her middle, trying to calm herself down.

For four nights, she'd had nightmares about the man who looked like an older, insane version of her father. She had no idea who it was or why he had been watching her but something about him made her squirm inside.

It terrified her.

This whole, unknown mystery that clouded her thoughts terrified her. It felt so much… bigger than her. She wanted to go back to the petty school problems she usually had during this time of the year. She just wanted to fight with James and get detentions and forget to do school assignments. The last thing she wanted to do was worry about some psychopath wizard who looked like her and her father.

"Cass?" A tired, but worried voice made her look up.

James was standing a little ways away. She sobbed a bit and reached her arms out towards him. He took one look at her tear stained face and went to her. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her against his side.

"A nightmare again?"

She nodded against his shoulder.

He sighed. "Let me guess. You refused to let Lily talk to you."

She laughed slightly. "Of course. You're my best friend. You're the only one who knows about this."

"Why won't you go to Pomfrey?"

She was quiet for a moment. "I'm embarrassed by it. I don't even know who this guy is and he scares me out of my mind!"

"I never thought I'd hear you admit you were scared."

"I'm serious, James!"

James smiled. "So am I. You could face down McGonagall and not blink an eye. You take more risks flying than a bird. You start _fights _in the bloody _corridor_. Why are you scared of some guy you saw once in Hogsmeade?"

She rested her chin on his shoulder. "He looks like me. He looks like my father."

"So what?"

"You know that's weird. We're _Malfoys_! The white blonde hair, the gray eyes, the leanness and the height. _No one _looks like a Malfoy without _being _a Malfoy."

James frowned slightly. "You, your father, and your grandmother are the only Malfoys left though. Right?"

"Well, yeah, but Grandmum's a Black; she doesn't even look that much like a Malfoy."

"Maybe he used a glamour spell to freak you out."

"But why?" Cassie's voice rose in frustration. "I'm a sixteen year old student! Why would anyone want to do this to me?"

"You do have a lot of money."

Cassie's jaw flexed. "This is insane! I'm going to Hogsmeade every day from now on. If I see him-"

"You will _not _attack him, Cass!" James groaned. "Don't you remember when we were second years and you attacked that storekeeper?"

"He was creepy!"

"He was trying to help you buy a book, Cass. He was not a pedophile."

Cassie scowled. "Fine, I get it. What do I do about it, though?"

James shrugged. "I don't know, Cass. I'm a kid, just like you. Maybe you should tell McGongall."

She shook her head and shuddered slightly. He tightened his arm around her as she burrowed further into his side.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

"For what?"

She yawned. "For being my best friend."

He smiled. "Anytime, Cass."

* * *

><p>Lily and Rose stood side by side with their arms cross over their chests. The looked exactly the same with their heads tilted to the side. They looked down at the red loveseat where James and Cassie were tangled together.<p>

Cassie's arms were around James's waist and her head rested on his chest. One of his arms was wrapped snugly around her shoulders and the other was flung across his face.

"Well, this is interesting." Lily said to Rose.

Rose nodded. "Very."

"Should we wake them up?"

"I dunno. Should we?"

Lily thought for a moment. "No."

They laughed and Lily cast a silencing spell on them. The two girls smirked at each other and went to breakfast.

* * *

><p>"James! Bloody hell! James, <em>wake up!<em>" Cassie's voice made James groan.

"Cass? What are you doing in my dorm?"

A sharp slap woke him all the way.

He gasped. "Cass, what the hell?"

She was glaring at him. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were crooked. "No one woke us up! Breakfast has already started! We've only got about twenty minutes till our first class."

"Fuck!" He ran past her.

Cassie couldn't help but laugh. She shook her head and went back up to her room to get dressed quickly. She swore when she saw her hair. It was a tousled mess. She twisted it into a messy bun with an elastic.

"Cass! Let's go!"

"Would you wait a bloody minute? This is your fault!" She shouted back as she rushed down the stairs, grabbing her wand and books.

"My fault?" He was incredulous. "_You _fell asleep on _me!_"

They rushed from the Gryffindor common room together.

"And _you _just had to come and comfort me!"

"Don't you dare!" James snapped. "Don't turn this around on me! I was helping you because you needed help!"

"I never need help!"

"You admitted that it scared you!"

She grabbed his arm and yanked him to a halt outside the Grand Hall. "If you _ever _repeat that to _anyone_, I swear to Merlin I'll kill you."

He rolled his eyes. "Everyone has fears, Malfoy."

"I don't want anyone to know _mine_, Potter!" She snapped.

"I'll make you a deal." James said, his face set stubbornly. "I won't tell anyone if you go to Pomfrey and get some potions to help you sleep."

Her jaw flexed. "Fine." She spat and pushed through the doors and into the Grand Hall.

Everyone in the Grand Hall turned when the door slammed against the wall. A very angry Cassie stormed into the hall, looking as if she just woke up. A smirking James followed her, looking just as ruffled as her.

Rose and Lily looked at Cassie with a smirk as she sat down. She scowled.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

Lily snorted at Rose. "Or loveseat."

Cassie stabbed a sausage with more force than she meant. "I'll take it that you're the ones who cast the silencing spell."

"Maybe."

Under the table, Cassie flicked her wand. The orange juice in both Rose's and Lily's cups exploded. They shrieked and tried to duck the sweet drinks. Cassie continued eating as if nothing had happened.

"Cassie!" Rose screamed.

"Yes, darling?"

"You did that on purpose!" Lily accused.

"Did what?"

Cassie received a roll in the face. She laughed and ducked the second one that came her way.

"Potter! Weasley! Malfoy!" McGonagall shouted from the staff table. "Behave yourselves!"

A lot of people laughed at the blush that crept into Rose and Lily's faces. Cassie simply looked amused as she continued to eat.

"So why were you and James sleeping on the couch together?" Rose asked Cassie as they walked to class.

"I had another nightmare." Cassie said, looking away.

"So you go to my brother and not us?" Lily asked from her other side.

Cassie looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Jealous, Lily?"

Neither of the other girls answered. Cassie stopped in the middle of the corridor. The others kept walking a few paces. A third year bumped into her. The boy looked scared, as if expecting her to snap, but Cassie kept staring at Rose and Lily.

The three of them looked between each other.

"You are." Cassie said flatly. "You're mad that I went to James and not you guys."

Neither Rose nor Lily said anything.

Cassie rubbed her face. "Guys, be serious. It's honestly not a big deal. They're just dreams."

"If they were just dreams, you'd have told us as well." Rose said.

Lily turned. "C'mon, we're going to be late."

Cassie followed them the rest of the way. Lily and Rose didn't speak to her.

At lunch, Cassie sat with James and Hugo a little ways down the table from Rose and Lily. No one mentioned the tension between the three girls. In fact, no one said a word at all. Until a shabby brown owl alighted on the table in front of Cassie.

The girl flinched in surprise. The owl's slightly foggy eyes fixed on her and screeched. A scrap of paper was tied to its leg. Cassie took it. The bird bit her finger hard. She hissed and tried to smack it but it flew off.

Cassie unrolled the note and read it.

_You are a disgrace to the Malfoy name, you filthy blooded bastard._

James noticed Cassie's shaking hand. He snatched the note from her and read it. His arm wrapped around her waist at once; comforting her, supporting her.

"It's alright. Anyone can send you an owl." He said softly in her ear.

"What the fuck is going on?" She whispered. "Why now? Why me?"

"I don't know Cass, but it'll be alright." He assured her.

"If we don't know what's going on, how do we know it's going to be alright? It's so creepy and I'm so…"

"Scared. Yeah, I know." He squeezed her gently. "Now, eat something. We'll do some research during the free period."

She swallowed and nodded slightly. The note was crushed in her hand and she pushed her plate away violently.

James ate slowly, thinking hard about the whole situation. They hadn't even been in school two months and already there was trouble. Granted, it wasn't trouble like in his dad's days but it was trouble all the same. He was worried about Cassie. She was strong, but something truly dangerous like this wasn't something she had ever faced before.

She refused to tell any teachers and he would wait to see how far this spiraled out of hand before he stepped in and told McGonagall.

Her parents couldn't help; they were both Aurors and good ones at that. They didn't have much time to spare on their daughter's problems anymore.

His parents couldn't help either. Harry Potter was the Head of the Auror department and his mother was busy with her job managing the Harpies Quidditch team.

_So pretty much, _James thought dryly, _it's us kids against a psychotic wizard who will most likely try to kill her. _

James looked over at Cassie, who was staring angrily at a spot on the wall, and smiled to himself. _We'll do good. _

_We have to._

* * *

><p>"Hey, Lil!" James jogged down the corridor to catch up to his sister. "I've got to talk to you. You've got a minute?"<p>

"Sure." Lily stopped and leaned against the wall.

James ran a hand through his messy hair. "Listen, can you just talk to Cass? It's been a few days. She's not herself."

"I'm not talking to her _because _she's not herself." Lily said with a small scowl.

James stared at her. "Lily, you know Cassie. She wouldn't hide anything from you without a reason."

"But she'll tell _you_." Lily cried. "_You! _She _hates _you."

"Lily, is Cassie scared of anything?"

She blinked her eyes slowly. "Of course not. It's Cassie."

"That's why she didn't tell you. You think well of her and for once in her life, she's scared. She doesn't want you to think she's a coward."

"She's _Cassie Malfoy_. She's many things but she is not a coward." Lily said stubbornly.

"Of course she's not a coward, but she's scared and she doesn't know what to do with the situation she's in. She's freaked out."

"So what? She can tell me and Rose _anything!_ Why'd she tell you first?"

James sighed. "I don't know why she told me, but she did. Now can you please talk to her so that she gets a bit of herself back? I get nervous when Cassie isn't Malfoy."

Lily smiled slightly. "Yeah, but do you think she'll tell us?"

"When she's ready. You know her just as well as I do."

Lily looked at him with a bemused expression. "Since when have you and Cassie been friends?"

James grinned goofily. "We've always been friends, Lil. Always."

Lily watched him walk away. She laughed out loud and headed towards where she knew Cassie was.

Cassie was lounging in a window alcove, tracing her finger across the window panes. She had dark circles under her eyes from the lack of sleep and the continuous nightmares.

"Cassie?"

"Lil." She turned to look at the girl standing beside her.

"Hey, can I sit down?"

"If you want to."

Lily sat, nervously brushing her fingers through her dark red hair. She crossed her ankles and then uncrossed them. "Listen, we've been ignoring you."

"Obviously." Cassie said under her breath.

"I shouldn't have." Lily blurted. "I was jealous of James; I hadn't realized you guys were actually friends. I guess I understand and you'll tell me when you're ready."

"It only took you three bloody days." Cassie said.

"Cassie!" Lily scolded. "Would you just accept the bloody apology?"

"Oh, _that _was an apology? A right shit one if you ask me."

Lily sighed. She had expected this; Cassie being her stubborn self. "You want to get out of here? McGonagall said that we could go to Hogsmeade this afternoon."

Cassie stiffened slightly. Then an idea popped into her head. "Yeah, let's go."

She would find out who this stalker was and she'd stop him.

Before this got out of hand.

Before someone got hurt.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**... Alright then, so much for not updating for a bit. I got distracted when I posted the previous Author's Note and reread the story. One thing led to another, and here's 2,000 word chapter. And the next one is already underway.**

**Hope you guys enjoy :)**

**x**

**K**


	6. Mental

**Author's Note: This is a very short chapter. It's still important though :) Rate and review if you please!**

**x**

**K**

* * *

><p>Mental<p>

Every student in Hogwarts was especially aware of Cassie for the next week. The Gryffindor was in a foul mood for the entire seven days. She paced angrily, snapped at anyone who got in her way, and had a hot angry aura around her.

James once made the mistake of approaching her about Charms homework in the hallway. He tapped her on the shoulder.

"Cass, I've got a question on last night's – For Merlin's sake!" His shout was caused by the blast of magic that Cassie shot at him. He barely ducked out of the way. It exploded against the wall behind him.

She scowled at him. "I'm not in the mood, Potter." She stalked away from him.

"Cass!" He whined, jogging to catch up.

A sudden flash of red-hot pain made his feet forget how to work. His shoulder cracked against the wall next to him. Gritting his teeth, James pushed himself forward.

He stumbled slightly as a wave of annoyance suddenly swamped his mind. Cassie turned to glare at him. "I said, I'm not in the mood, James." She snapped.

He was so overwhelmed with the foreign feelings sweeping through his mind that he didn't entirely comprehend what she said. He didn't know where all this annoyance, fear, guilt, and anxiety was coming from. He watched Cassie walk away from him, her silvery blonde hair swishing around her back.

"Cassie?" He called. His voice sounded distant to him.

She didn't turn around.

The emotions made him dizzy. "Cass, the bond." He managed to gasp before collapsing against the wall.

Through his swirling vision, she saw her whirl. Her hair flew behind her as she ran to his side. Concern filled his mind.

"Fuck." Cassie swore, looking into James' dilated eyes. Her voice rang inside his head. _You should have told me about this._

"I-I thought you would have… known." He gasped. He could feel her trying to rein in her emotions.

"I don't purposely bond with _anyone_, James. I'd have asked your permission first anyways."

James was still gasping for breath. He pressed his fingers against his temples. By this time, Cassie had a grip on her own mind and wasn't letting anything but a faint mist of her emotions brush against James' mind.

"Merlin, does it always feel like that?"

Cassie smiled sadly. "Yes, but only at first."

"How long?"

"I had migraines on and off for about three days when Dad first bonded with me. Since then, I've only made a bond with Mum."

James' grin suddenly turned lopsided. "So I'm your first, aye?"

She let her annoyance slice through the bond. James winced.

"Cass, it was a joke."

She smiled softly. "I know, Potter. I'm sorry."

"For what, exactly?"

She looked at her hands. "For snapping at you and for forming this bond without your consent."

James raised his eyebrow. "Why have you been so angry lately?"

Her jaw muscles flexed and her light eyes hardened. "I've gone to Hogsmeade every day."

"And?"

"Nothing." She spat. "Absolutely nothing!"

He curled his hand around her shoulder. "Don't worry, Cass. We will get to the bottom of this."

She ran a hand nervously through her hair, a habit she picked up from James himself. "Am I going insane, Jamie?" She whispered softly.

He hugged her briefly. "I saw him too, Cass. You're just as sane as I am."

She laughed at that. "I miss Luna. She had this odd way of calming me down by speaking the simplest of things."

"She's got that effect on everybody."

Cassie smiled. "Mum always said that, too."

James felt his pulse on the side of his head. He groaned softly and pushed the spot gently. Cassie pulled him to his feet. Her concern washed over him coolly.

"Come on, I'll bring you to the infirmary. You'll need a strong potion to hold of those headaches." She tugged his arm gently.

James didn't speak the entire way there. He was in awe of what was going on in his head. The whole time, he could feel Cassie's concern like cold water. When a first year stepped to close to them, he could feel her annoyance snap like a plucked rubber band. He could feel the gradual build up of heavy anger.

"Why are you angry?"

She started. The sickly sweet feel of confusion tinged the edge of his mind as it leaked from hers. "I'm angry at myself." She said as she gathered her wits again. "I've never lost control like that before."

"Yes you have."

She frowned at him. "When?"

"First year. Remember when you accidentally cut Victoire's face? You were mad about something and your power-."

She was shaking her head. "That's different. That magic can be undone and healed. And it lasted only a second before the wound turned into your average cut. This bond can never be broken; unless one of us dies. It's forever."

He felt cold sadness fill her. "You're sad."

Cassie glared at him. "Learn to respect my privacy and I'll respect yours." They had reached the infirmary by then. "I don't exactly fancy feeling every spark of pathetic emotion you feel, Potter."

She turned on her heel and stalked away from him. James watched her for a moment, feeling her emotions swirl inside both of their heads. He could feel them even when she turned the corner at the end of the hall.

He sighed and shook his head before pushing open the infirmary door.

"Mr. Potter! I feel as if I've seen less of your face this year than the past years." The medi-witch greeted him with a smile.

"I've been a bit too busy to get in much trouble this year." He pushed aside his concern for Cassie to act himself towards the elderly witch.


	7. The Curious Case of Notes

The Curious Case of Notes Where They Aren't Supposed To Be

* * *

><p><em>-You're a dirty blooded whore like your mother and her mother before her-<em>

Cassie's shoulders tensed when she read the shred of paper which she found on her pillow after lunch. She cursed the tears that pricked the back of her eyes hotly. She crumpled the note and tossed it into the nightstand drawer next to her bed. It lay there next to the seven other crumpled notes.

_-You're no better than a mudblood.-_

_ -Hogwarts is clearly not what if used to be if it's letting slags and dirty blooded people such as you rule the school.-_

_ -How dare you sully the Malfoy name with your disgusting self?-_

_ -You and that Potter boy deserve to die.-_

_ -You're a disgrace to the Wizarding World.-_

_ -You don't deserve the Old Magics.-_

The one she received yesterday bothered her the most. _–You will not live to see Christmas day.-_

Cassie sat heavily on her bed, running her fingers through her sleek pale hair. She closed her eyes against her tears.

James' presence grew stronger in her mind. He was in the corridor, then in the common room, then walking up the stairs towards her room. She curled on her side, burying her face in her pillow and pretended to be asleep.

James pushed through the door to Cassie's room. He leaned against the doorframe and looked at her long form curled on her bed. He reached out tentatively with his mind.

He smiled slightly and went to sit on her bed. "You seem to forget that I'm in your head all the time now." He rested a hand on her shoulder. "You got another note didn't you?"

She nodded her head slightly. "The eighth."

She could feel his anger rising. The hand on her shoulder tightened then relaxed. "Are you coming down to the Great Hall?"

Cassie rolled her head to look over at him. "I haven't gone in days. No, I'll sneak down to the kitchens later."

"Cass, he's getting the notes to you in your own room! Going down to dinner would be no different."

"James, I can't be seen in public like this. I'm a wreck. Lily and Rose already know something's wrong. I can't have everyone else thinking something's amidst as well."

He sighed. "I'll bring you up some food. It's going to be alright."

As he left, she whispered. "No it won't."

* * *

><p>James slid into the seat next to his sister, shoving her not-so-gently aside with his shoulder. She scowled at him and shoved him back hard.<p>

"Bugger off, Lil!" Albus snapped from the other side of James.

"Go back to the snakes, Al." She hissed back.

James glared at them both. "Shut up, the both of you." His head ached and he was antsy from stress. He shifted in his seat and pushed his dinner around his plate.

Cassie had no idea, but he had been sneaking into Hogsmeade every day as well. He had snooped around as much as he could in the scant amount of time he had. He hadn't seen any sign of the blonde haired man and it bothered him more every day. Somehow, this man was getting notes to Cassie.

A fierce kick from under the table made James jump in alarm. He stared at Rose. She was looking at him pointedly.

"What's your problem?" He snapped.

She glanced over his shoulder.

James looked around and caught sight of what Rose was warning him of. He groaned slightly at the sight of Magnolia Wood walking towards them with her dolled up eyes fixed squarely on him.

"Hex me now." He muttered to anyone who was listening.

Lily snorted. Albus edged away from him. Everyone fell silent.

The Hufflepuff sat in the space Albus had left open, pressing herself against James' side. "Hi, Jamie." She said breathlessly.

He hated anyone but Cassie calling him that; hell, he even hated Cassie for calling him that. "Hello, Magnolia."

She was running her sharp, bubblegum pink, nails over his bare forearm. "Listen, what are you doing tomorrow?"

He wanted to shake her off like an obnoxious dog. "Quidditch." He said without thinking.

She frowned, pushing her glossed lips out. "Liar. There is no Quidditch practice tomorrow – Hufflepuff got the field booked."

He was mildly impressed that she had put in the effort to looking that up. "I meant that I'm going over plays with Cassie. You know, for Quidditch."

Anger flickered across her features before flirtation snapped her features back into a mask of makeup and cotton candy perfume. "Not all day! Leave Cassie for a while and come to Hogsmeade with me." She was whining.

And James was desperate to get rid of her. He forced a smile on his face, though all he wanted to do was run away from this girl. "Sure, Maggie."

She smiled and _actually _bounced up and down in her excitement. She leaned harder against James to kiss his cheek, leaving behind sticky gloss. "Don't call me Maggie." She said sweetly. "It's Magnolia."

James wiped his cheek furiously as the girl flounced away in her short skirt and tight top. He felt sick.

Albus raised his brows. "Are you trying to rub the skin off your face?"

"_Yes._" James snapped, feeling heat rise in his face.

Lily was tapping her heel against the floor. "Cassie is _not _going to be happy, dear brother."

James scowled. "I don't care what Cassie thinks." He lied.

Rose snorted. "You've been spending almost as much time in her room as she has lately." She said dryly. "Anyone else would think that the war between the royalty of Gryffindor has finally stopped."

"There is _nothing _going on." James said tightly. "I'm just worried. She's been all moody."

Lily laughed. "It's called being a woman, James. Premenstrual syndrome."

James made a face as he stood. "Yuck. Merlin, Lily. Censorship, please."

"She'll bite your head off if you keep bothering her." Lily said.

James grabbed a cookie from her plate. "I'm going to the Owlery, thank you very much for being nosy." He took a bite out of the cookie before turning on his heel and walking from the Great Hall surrounded by troubled thoughts.

* * *

><p>James sat against the stairwell wall outside the owlery. He had one of the notes from the mysterious stranger to Cassie in one hand and was writing with the other.<p>

_Leave Cassiopeia Malfoy alone or the Headmistress and the Ministry will become involved _very _swiftly. You should know that she and her family has many connections and so do I. –JP _

He was as satisfied as he would get. He ducked into the owlery and found his owl quickly among the other owls there.

Athena was a large, barn owl. She had been a present to James his first year at Hogwarts; at the time he hadn't realized how valuable she was. She was an excellent tracker and could find the source of nearly any note. Neither James nor his father knew exactly how she was able to do it.

Now, James held the stranger's note under Athena's face. She pushed her head against his fingers and then took the note in her beak. She shook her head, ruffling her feathers. While she did that, James tied his note to her leg.

Athena stepped onto his fist and he carried her to the window. She still had the stranger's note held tightly in her beak when she flew silently into the air. James watched her go with anticipation coiled coldly in his stomach.

* * *

><p>James yanked back Cassie's blankets the next morning. She yelled aloud and threw one of her pillow at him. She missed by nearly three feet.<p>

"You're aim has got to be better than that for the Quidditch season." He said.

Irritation pounded at his mind through the bond. She groaned and curled around her other pillow. James glared at her.

"Get up."

"No." She grumbled. "Just bring me some toast."

"Nope. Not a chance. Stop being a baby and get up."

One of her eyes cracked open to glare at him. "Asshole."

"No, I'm an asshole now." He said as he picked her up and dragged her out off of the bed.

Cassie shrieked in rage. She strained against him towards her bed. James nearly dropped her as she twisted, but he hefted her up and tightened an arm under her knees. He carried her towards the bathroom. When she saw the bathtub, she started screaming.

"James Potter! Don't you even think about it! If you put me in that tub, I swear to Merlin! Don't you fucking dare, Potter!"

He paused just in front of the bathtub. "Are you coming to breakfast?"

"What? No! Of course-."

James let her go. She crashed into the tub. She screamed and tried to climb her way out of the tub.

"Fucking hell! I'm going to kill you." Her pale hair stuck to her neck.

He crossed his arms and smiled.

She was out of the tub as quickly as a cat. She glared at James fiercely.

He shifted nervously when he noticed the way her shirt clung to her torso. He hadn't thought of that.

Cassie smirked. "You forget I'm in your head, Jamie."

He scowled at her as she walked by him. He followed her out of the bathroom. She rubbed her hair with a towel that she dragged out from a cabinet near her bed. She looked at him with raised brows.

"Is there something else you wanted? You know, other than dunk me in icy water and ruin my morning?" She asked.

"You're coming to breakfast."

"No."

"Yes. Everyone's noticing that you barely come to any of your classes. You're late to Quidditch and you're half-assing everything."

She was shaking her head. "No. I can't act as if nothing is wrong."

He stepped up to Cassie and grabbed her chin.

She stared at him. "Why are you touching my face?"

"Where's the Cassie that I know? You don't give a shit about anyone and you're stronger than everyone else. This man is threatening you, and yes, it's kind of creepy, but you're _Cassie Malfoy._ You're the daughter of a Death Eater and two of the strongest Aurors other than my father. And my father is Harry fucking Potter."

Cassie frowned. "That's touching and all, but that doesn't explain why you're touching my face."

"I'm making sure you're paying attention." James headed towards the door. "Now come to breakfast and prove everyone wrong."

"Wait!" Cassie cried. "What am I proving wrong?"

He looked at her seriously. "That you're a pathetic, depressing pms-ing idiot." He shut the door behind him, but he could hear her shouting.

* * *

><p>"I am not pathetic or depressing or pms-ing!" Cassie shouted after James. "And I'm not an idiot either!"<p>

Cassie glowered after him. Her anger made her open her dresser and pull out her uniform. She dressed quickly, pulling on her skirt and buttoning her wrinkled shirt. She pulled on a blazer with Hogwarts' emblem on her breast pocket. She slid her feet into beat up black sneakers.

She was looping her tie around her neck as she walked out her door.

"I didn't expect that to really work."

Cassie jumped in surprise before sending a swift kick towards James. He grabbed her ankle and yanked her off balance. She crashed to the floor next to him.

"I hate you." She spat.

He grinned at her and helped her to her feet. She was still fumbling with her red and gold tie. James rolled his eyes and took it from her.

"You're terrible at tying this." He said quietly.

"I'm not a man, I shouldn't have to know how to tie a tie."

"You've been doing this for years, how can you _not _know?"

"Because you always do it for me!" She burst out.

He loosened her tie to just the way she liked it and he patted her cheek sharply. "Come on, breakfast time. We're already late."

As they walked side by side down the empty corridor, Cassie fell silent. James could feel anxiety rising in her. Without looking at her, he slung his arm over her shoulders. He struggled to radiate something calming towards her.

"You're terrible at this." She whispered.

He scowled at her. "Shut up! I'm at least trying."

She smiled at him. "Thanks, Potter." She slid out from under his arm as they reached the Great Hall.

As usual when they arrived together, Cassie pushed both the doors open and strode in. She seemed exactly the same: tall, proud, squared shoulders, smooth expression, and careless grace. It was only obvious to James, who could feel the unstable emotions flowing through her, that she was unsteady and insecure.

"Cassie!" Lily leapt from her seat next to Rose, raising a hand in the air. "Is your cold better?"

Cassie smiled, thankful for the excuse. "Yes, I'm feeling much better." She slid into the seat across from them.

James sat next to her and reached across Cassie for a plate of food. Cassie scowled at him, but leaned back slightly to avoid being hit by the large dish. She filled her glass with black coffee. Lily frowned when she noticed how her hand was shaking. She glanced at James, who shook his head.

"So, Cassie." Lily said at once. "How was your wake up call?"

Cassie scowled. "Cold."

Rose frowned. "What happened?"

Cassie jerked her fork towards James. "He decided that I needed a cold bath just minutes after he tore the blankets off my bed."

James shrugged. "All you had to do was agree to come down to breakfast."

"James!" Rose cried. "That's awful!" She glared at Lily. "You said he would only jump on the bed!"

Lily shrugged, mirroring the image of her brother. "I lied."

Cassie grabbed James' hand suddenly. "James!" She was staring up at the crowd of owls that were flying above the tables.

James could see Athena, though she was covered in blood and she was barely managing to stay aloft. She careened towards him. If James hadn't leapt up to catch her, she would have crashed into the table.

"For Godric's sake, what happened?" Rose cried. "She looks like she got attacked."

Cassie's face was pale. "She was. James, what-?"

_Later. _The one word echoed in her mind. James was cradling the owl in his arms and running his wand over the wounds. He was trying to cover the worst of the cuts and torn feathers, but Cassie saw them all.

James pulled the bloodied note from Athena's leg when he was done. He uncurled it and read the familiar handwriting.

-_It doesn't matter if your father is Harry Potter, if any authority is involved in any way, I won't just kill Cassiopeia Malfoy._-

Cassie's eyes widened as she read it over James' shoulder. She started to shake uncontrollably. James spun and grabbed her arm firmly.

_He's going to kill me. He's going to kill _you. _James, I can't do this._

His eyes burned into hers. _No, Cassie. You can! This only tells us that he's frightened of facing anyone other than a child. You are brave. You'll be able to stop him._

Cassie tried to control her shaking, but her fear was building.

_Cassiopeia Malfoy! You listen to me! We're in this together. Whoever this asshole is, he is nothing against us. You _know _us. Have faith in that. _

Cassie nodded slightly. She clenched her jaw together tightly and made her eyes flinty. She became strong before his eyes. Cassie took her strength from James' confidence.

She didn't know that he was wearing his confidence like a costume for her sake.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued :)<p> 


	8. Of Slags and Second Chances

Chapter 7

* * *

><p>"Here." James handed a bundle of silvery cloth to Cassie.<p>

Her eyes lit up as she took it. James twisted to grab her wrist hard. She looked at him with a frown. "What?"

"Be careful, Cassie." His dark eyes were serious.

"I'm always careful." She said haughtily as she swirled the invisibility cloak over her shoulders. Her lean form disappeared beneath it so that only her head was floating in the air.

"You're _never _careful."

The last thing he saw was her infamous Malfoy smirk before she pulled the hood over her head. He looked down the corridor, in the direction he knew that she would have gone, before turning and walking the opposite way.

* * *

><p>Cassie was getting horribly impatient. She had been in Hogsmeade for nearly an hour now and she had seen no sign of the grungy blonde man. Of course, she had somehow endured days of this already.<p>

Finally, she lost her patience. She ducked into an alley and took off the invisibility cloak. She tucked it into her small bag before striding into the Three Broomsticks, hoping to find someone of relative interest there.

She wasn't bargaining to find James Potter sitting in a corner booth with Magnolia Wood. Cassie faltered just inside the doorway. Someone bumped into her from behind.

"Watch it." The person spat at her.

Cassie reacted violently. She whirled, curling her leg into her stomach and then snapping it out as hard as she could. The fifth year Ravenclaw behind her crashed into someone's table.

"Cassiopeia Malfoy!" Madam Rosmerta cried as she bustled out from behind the bar. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? Now you stop tearing up my bar!"

Cassie completely ignored her as she stormed over to where James and Magnolia sat. James must have felt the anger radiating from her mind because he looked up when she neared them. Relief filled his face and his mind, but Cassie's rage blinded her.

She grabbed James by the shirt collar and yanked him out of the booth. He sprawled on the ground, but she didn't even glance at him.

"Cassie!" He shouted in surprise.

Cassie slid into the seat across from Magnolia, glaring at the girl fiercely. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

Magnolia twisted a curl around her finger. She smirked at Cassie. "Going on a date."

"You're just as slutty as your mother."

"Cassie!" James shouted again.

Acting as her mother, Lavender Brown, would, Magnolia's hand flashed out and connected with Cassie's cheek. The entire Inn fell silent, several people gasped. James swore loudly. Cassie's jaw flexed. She stood slowly and then reached out to grab the girl's shirt.

"James doesn't like whores, so I recommend you stay away from him." Cassie whispered only for Magnolia's years.

"Seems like you fancy him, Malfoy."

"James is my best friend and I often find myself hating him, but I don't hate anyone enough to wish _you _on them. Now, I'm not a very well natured person. Anyone could tell you that. So, stay away from James or you'll regret it until graduation. Go fuck somebody else, Hufflepuff." Cassie shoved her back down.

Magnolia was speechless.

"Cassie." James began, reaching for her hand as she passed him.

She jerked her hand away. "_Don't _talk to me, Potter."

Cassie stormed out of the inn, ignoring the shouts of Madam Rosmerta and James Potter that followed her. Rage kept boiling up inside of her and she couldn't push it down. She somehow made it out of Hogsmeade before she let out her scream.

She stamped her feet and jumped up and down furiously. Then she let her legs give out under her and she fell back hard onto the ground. She buried her face in her arms, filling the air with curses.

She didn't even understand what had just happened! She just saw them together and she was overcome with an undeniable amount of… jealousy. Merlin, she even hated the word. She hated the _idea _of the word!

She and James Potter were…

Cassie sat up suddenly. She didn't really know _what _their relationship was. They were best friends. And they were the worst of enemies. Was there anything else? Was there room for anything else? It was already too damned complicated for Cassie to have a firm understanding of. She didn't know when she was supposed to be his friend or when she was supposed to be his enemy.

Cassie felt energy building up inside of her. She stood, feeling like she had to run somewhere. She spun in a circle.

And that's when she noticed them.

The footprints.

Staggered boot prints in the mud near her.

She followed them with her eyes. They led up the hill towards the Shrieking Shack. She caught sight of a flash of blonde to her right.

She had her wand in her hand in a moment and shouted: "_Sectumsempra!_" And then she was running towards him as quickly as she could.

The man deflected the curse and sent a blast of something towards her. She dodged it and sent back another spell. She kept running.

She saw a glimpse of his face; sharp features, cold eyes, a malicious sneer.

And then a blast of something dark struck her on the shoulder. Cassie let out a scream of pain as she was sent flying backwards. There was a flash of pain as her head struck the ground at just the wrong angle.

She felt a sob of frustration rise in her throat as her vision went black.


	9. Poison

Chapter 8: Poison

* * *

><p>Cassie's eyes snapped open and she stared up at the endlessly blue sky above her. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Cassie sat up, looking around in bewilderment. She could see the Shrieking Shack some ways up the hill. She could see the roofs of Hogsmeade when she turned her head the other way.<p>

There wasn't anyone in sight.

Nobody.

Cassie got to her feet, expecting her head to spin or for there to be pain, but she felt perfectly fine. She twisted a bit to crack her back, swung her arms back and forth and shrugged. She looked to the West and swore under her breath. The sun was setting, which meant it was almost time for dinner.

She pulled the invisibility cloak from her bag, tucked her wand into the waistband of her skirt, and pulled the cloak over her. She cast a small spell from the inside so it would not blow open as she ran.

* * *

><p>She was ten minutes late for dinner. In the corridor, she whisked off the cloak. She rushed into the Great Hall, ignoring the stares of nearly everyone there. She slid into the seat across from James.<p>

His long legs tangled with hers, forcing her to look at him.

_What the hell was that? _He asked.

_I'm stressed out._

_Bullshit. _He was growing more frustrated. _Would you just tell me?_

Cassie was the master of evading questions she didn't want to answer. _Miss Wood looks like she's about to jump across the table at us._

James sighed and looked over his shoulder to where Magnolia was glaring at them. "Cassie. You shouldn't provoke her."

"I like provoking people like that. They're so easy to stir up." She raised her eyebrows and smirked playfully.

"Where were you all day, Cassie?" Lily asked, elbowing her in her sensitive side.

Cassie squirmed. "Wandering around Hogsmeade. I'm trying to get ahead on holiday presents."

Rose raised an eyebrow. "That's odd of you."

Cassie shrugged. "You wouldn't complain if you knew what I bought you."

Rose leaned forward, grinning. "Tell me!"

Cassie raised her hands. "Nope."

_You're such a liar. _James said, nudging her with his foot.

_Say a word and I'll hex your balls off._

He flinched slightly. "Cassie. That's taking it a bit far."

Cassie kicked him fiercely. _Idiot! _

Lily frowned. "Taking what too far?"

"Nothing." James answered hurriedly.

Rose laughed. "Are you guys doing that freaky telepathy thing again? Merlin, I hate when you do that!"

"Do what?" Cassie frowned. A moment of panic flashed through her; they couldn't know about the bond. Was it that obvious?

Lily stabbed her fork in their direction. "Oh, you know. You get all… best friendy and it's like you talk to each other." She tapped the side of her head. "But without talking. Freaky shit."

Cassie looked at James and James looked at Cassie.

Cassie stood up, feeling uncomfortable. "That's it. I'm gonna go… study." She finished lamely.

"Oh, c'mon!" Lily shouted. "Cassie!"

Cassie waved her off and walked briskly out of the Great Hall.

* * *

><p>The next day, Cassie got up before sunrise to start Quidditch practice early. She walked out to the pitch with her training uniform on and her broom slung over one shoulder. She had her goggles hanging around her neck, but more to keep her long braid from hitting her in the face than anything else.<p>

She noticed someone familiar sitting up in the bleachers. Grinning, she flew up to hover in front of Bradley Wood.

"Hey, Wood."

He frowned at her. "Go away, Malfoy."

She landed softly in front of him. "What's wrong?"

"You called my sister and my mum a slut in the same conversation. That's what's wrong." He snapped.

"What? C'mon! I was pissed off; I didn't mean anything!"

Bradley stood. "Go screw with Potter, Malfoy. Not with me."

"Wood!" She shouted as he walked away from her. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

He kept walking away from her.

"Fucking bullocks." Cassie swore, leaping back into the air.

* * *

><p>She'd been flying only about forty five minutes before her shoulder began to send more persistent flashes of pain to her. She was forced to land in the middle of the pitch and slip her shirt off of her shoulder.<p>

"Oh, God." She felt sick as she looked at the festering skin of her shoulder.

Her entire shoulder was bruised and the ragged wound was bloody and filled with puss. Her veins were dark under her skin, spreading over the top of her shoulder and down towards her elbow.

"For fuck's sake." She swore.

She sensed James nearing the pitch. She slid back into her shirt and leapt into the air.

* * *

><p>Cassie was flying in lazy circles when James flew onto the pitch. He could tell that he had been there for a while; there was sweat darkening her pale blonde hair and down her spine.<p>

"Cassie!" He circled her lazily. "Nice to see that you're early this time."

She shrugged. "Guess I'm feeling a bit better. I yelled at this girl yesterday and it really helped take a load off my shoulders."

James smiled slightly. "That was a bit out of the blue." He was riding by her side now.

She shrugged again. "Whatever."

"Cassie." He said seriously. "We should talk about-."

She started flying faster and she angled her broom so she sped above him. _I don't like talking, Jamie._

"Cassiopeia!" He shouted. He knew that it would work; he hardly ever called her by her full name.

She closed her eyes, sighed, and circled back down to her side. "What, James?"

"Why were you so mad? Why were you jealous, Cassie?"

She kicked her feet off of the broom stirrups and swung them absently below her. She couldn't look him in the face. "I don't know."

"Cass, that's not an-."

"Would you shut up for a bloody minute?" She snapped. "I honestly don't know, alright? You know me, I don't question my emotions. I just let them take control. I have as much restraint as a child."

The air between them hung awkwardly.

Suddenly, the rest of the team flew up into the pitch.

"Thank you, Godric." Cassie muttered and she streaked away from James. She flew high above the pitch and the team.

James clenched his jaw and grumbled in frustration as he flew down to meet the team.

* * *

><p>Only a half an hour passed before James' shoulder began to bother him. He was flying high above the scrimmage, looking for the snitch. He pulled his shirt away from his chest but he could see nothing wrong with the flesh of his shoulder.<p>

At once, he looked for Cassie and found her flying crookedly after a Bludger. He watched her for some time. She was definitely not flying as well as usual.

Then Bradley Wood threw a Bludger at her and she didn't even notice it until it struck her in the shoulder. James felt the unbearable flash of pain and cried out. Cassie careened off course but she managed to stay on her broom and she didn't make a sound.

James swooped down to the ground, concern and anxiety filling him to the brim.

Cassie could feel the sudden sweep of concern wash over her mind like a tidal wave. She was still shaken by the amount of pain pulsing through her from her shoulder. She watched James from the corner of her eyes as he swooped towards the ground.

"Malfoy! Get down here!" James landed on the pitch, massaging his left shoulder.

He noticed that Cassie's landing was shaky and she stumbled a couple of steps. She tightened her jaw.

"Take your shirt off." James said shortly. His gaze wander down her neck towards her shoulder.

Her head snapped up and her clear eyes sparked. "What the hell are you going on about, James?" She asked in a dangerously low voice.

"Your shirt!" He scowled. "Off. Now."

"No." She said coldly. "You're not the boss of me."

With anger mounting in both of them, the air between them crackled. James reached out a hand swiftly, grabbed the collar of her practice shirt and tore it off her shoulder. She cried out in pain and tilted away from him.

His stomach rolled at what he saw. The wound was puffy, swollen and full of puss. Her veins stood out black against her porcelain skin.

"Bloody hell, Cassie." Wood said from above. His anger towards the girl seemed to subside when she saw the wound. "Surely that bludger didn't do that!"

Cassie swayed as the cool air hit the tender skin of her left shoulder.

James grabbed her arm, wincing when pain lanced up both of their arms. He scowled at Wood. "Of course it isn't, you blubbering idiot. Does that look like a bloody Bludger injury?"

A trickle of amused pleasure passed from Cassie's mind to James'. He would have smiled if he wasn't so damned concerned about her.

"James." She gasped, just as her eyes rolled back in her skull and her knees buckled.

James caught her around the waist and swung her up into his arms as if she was a child.

"Practice is over!" He shouted as he started for the school. "Cassie." He muttered. "Stay here. With me; don't go anywhere where I can't fetch you back from."


	10. Death's Doorstep

Chapter 9

* * *

><p>James wrung his hands nervously as he watched Madam Pomfrey work over Cassie. She was frowning and flustered as she checked her wound.<p>

"Will she be alright?" James asked. "What is the wound from? Is it as bad as it looks? Who-?"

"Mr. Potter!" The medi-witch exclaimed. "If you cannot give me time to work, I'll have to ask you to step outside."

"Sorry." He said sheepishly.

Suddenly, Cassie was dragged out of consciousness with an earsplitting scream of pain. James leapt up and Madam Pomfrey rushed to her side. Cassie arched off the cot, her face contorted in pain. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

"Mr. Potter, would you please get the Headmistress?"

"No need, Poppy." Headmistress McGonagall swept into the infirmary. "Can you tell what it's from?"

"It's some kind of dark magic. Extremely powerful. It's poisoning her from the inside. I don't know-."

"James!" Cassie suddenly screamed and opened her eyes. "James!"

James was at her side in an instant, letting her grab onto his hand. "Cass."

"It hurts." She looked at him in fright.

"I know. I can feel it as well." It was a dull throbbing on the edges of his brain. He pushed her damp hair off her face.

She was so muddled with pain that she kept switching between mental and physical speech. "It." _Was him. _"I found." _Him near the Shrieking. _"Shack." She was gasping and writhing from the pain. "I'm holding." _Back the pain. I'll protect. _"You from it."

James covered her hands with his. "You have to fight this, Cassie. You're magic is pure and strong. Fight back!"

_His magic is. _"So strong." She gasped.

"Cassie, you can fight it. I know you can. Just use the magic. Remember when you healed my broken leg and both my broken arms in that terrible Quidditch accident? And your father threatened to have my father fired if you got hurt because you used too much of your power." He laughed weakly.

_I've. _"Never healed myself." She gasped, before her eyes rolled back and she slumped against the cot. Her fierce grip on his hands loosened.

* * *

><p>For a full day, Madam Pomfrey worked on Cassie. She tried everything within her knowledge to help the girl. However, nothing seemed to work. Every ounce of the medi-witch's magic only seemed to strengthen the dark curse poisoning her body.<p>

James spent every waking and sleeping moment by Cassie's side. Lily and Rose stopped by as often as they could, but it was James who was there through it all. McGonagall allowed him to skip his classes and she had Albus bring him most of his work.

* * *

><p>Bradley Wood burst into the infirmary an hour before the first Quidditch game of the season: Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff.<p>

"Potter!" He cried. "What are you doing? The game is in a bloody hour!" He stopped whatever else he was going to say when he saw the small bed.

Cassie was pale. There were dark circles under her eyes. The wound was covered, but the dark veins had spread down her entire left arm, across her chest, and up her neck. It had almost reached her heart. It wasn't visible, but it covered nearly her entire back as well.

James looked haggard and exhausted. He was stretched on the cot beside Cassie, one arm over her waist. He was half dangling off the bed, one arm and one leg hung onto the floor. He was fast asleep with his nose pushed against Cassie's temple.

Bradley sighed when he saw them. He tapped his broom against his toe before turning right back around and walking out of the infirmary.

* * *

><p>James woke to something tugging on his earlobe. He opened his eyes and found Cassie's dilated eyes looking at him.<p>

"Cassie. How long have you been up?"

She pressed her fingers against his lips. There were tears in her eyes. "I think I'm dying, James."

"No, you're not!" James said fiercely.

She pressed herself into his arms, resting her burning forhead against his collarbone. "I can feel it creeping towards my heart. It grows stronger every single day."

"You aren't going to die."

She shut her eyes briefly and a couple of tears leaked from her eyes. "We won the Quidditch match."

"We missed it?"

She nodded. "But we always beat the Hufflepuffs." Her teeth began to chatter. "What a l-load of b-blubbering incomp-pentents."

James started to pull away but she nestled into his warmth.

"It's so cold and you're so warm." She murmured.

He could feel her muscles tense suddenly.

A hiss burst from between her teeth. "Fuck."

"It hurts." It wasn't a question. He pulled away from her, ignoring her pleas and soft whimpers of pain. "Madam Pomfrey!" He burst into her small office.

"Mr. Potter." She exclaimed. "What's wrong?"

He didn't know that he looked half crazed; his hair was tousled and his eyes wide. "We need to call Mrs. Malfoy." He didn't add that they should have called her days and days ago.

* * *

><p>Roxanne Malfoy appeared in Hogwarts by the Floo System only fifteen minutes later. She wore a tight black outfit beneath a black cloak. Her long hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She had wand tucked into her boot as she did when she was young. She stepped swiftly through the corridors; her ferocity scared off all of those she passed.<p>

"Where is my daughter?" She exploded into the infirmary. As usual when her emotions were overwhelmingly strong, her French accent was much more prominent than usual.

"Miss Garniar." Madam Pomfrey looked relieved.

Roxanne glared at her. "I'm a Malfoy now, have been for years. Where is Cassie?"

"She's here, Mrs. Malfoy." James spoke from Cassie's bedside.

Roxanne rushed to her daughter's side. Cassie was pale and thin and sweating. Every line of her body was tense. Roxanne pulled the sheets down and looked pointedly at James.

He looked at her with the same amount of strength as the older woman. "I'm not leaving her."

"Fine, be a stubborn ass like your father." He heard her mutter.

Roxanne took a hold of the corner of Cassie's bandage and then tore it off. Cassie arched off of the bed with a scream. Roxanne swore at the state of the wound.

"Why the bloody hell wasn't I contacted earlier?" She shouted at Madam Pomfrey. "She's on death's doorstep!"

Madam Pomfrey looked so shaken that she had to leave the room.

Roxanne tore Cassie's shirt so that she could see the full extent of the damage. She looked at James. "This is going to hurt her terribly. I need you to hold her down."

James shifted so that he was able to hold down Cassie's arms and legs. Roxanne grit her teeth before pushing her hand onto Cassie's wound. James winced at the scream Cassie let out. Roxanne shook her head slightly.

"For Merlin's sake."

Gold light flared around Roxanne's finger tips and then billowed out to cover Cassie's entire body. James shut his eyes against the luminosity of it. He felt Cassie tense under his hands. She writhed but he was there to keep her still.

He didn't know how long he and Roxanne were there.

But when she was done, Roxanne fell onto the floor. James moved to help her to her feet but she shook her head. She leaned forward until her forehead rested against the side of the bed.

"Maybe two more hours, and she would have been dead." James heard her whisper.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Malfoy." He said as he fell into a chair across from Cassie's bed.

"It isn't your fault, dear."

Cassie began to stir. "Mommy?"

"Would you-?"

James stood. Roxanne didn't have to finish her sentence. He was out the door quickly. He found Lily and Rose waiting anxiously outside. He slid against the wall outside the infirmary and began to tell them.

* * *

><p>Cassie was drawn out of consciousness by the familiar touch of her mother's gold magic. A part of her was bewildered; how on earth was her mother <em>here<em>? She thought that maybe she had died and this was her last comfort.

"Mommy?"

"Cassie." Someone squeezed her hand.

Cassie opened her eyes to find her mother there. "Mum!" She sat up swiftly, nearly knocking her head against Roxanne's.

Roxanne put her hands on Cassie's shoulders. "Careful. You were close to death just a few hours ago."

"How are you here?" Cassie blurted. "I thought you had a job in Portugal this week!"

Roxanne raised her eyebrow. "You think Harry wouldn't let me come here and heal my dying daughter? I do believe your friend, James, convinced Pomfrey to call me. I don't see why they didn't call me at once; that was _extremely _dark magic." Her face darkened. "Who did this to you, Cassie?"

Cassie stared into her mother's eyes; so clear, so blue, and so strong. So like her own. She trusted her mother with her life, no matter the fights between them. "It was grandfather." Cassie whispered.

Roxanne's expressions flickered from shocked to confused to disbelieving to sadness. "Your only living grandfather is one of Azkaban's highest security prisoners."

Cassie locked her mother's hand in an iron grip. "He must have escaped." She said in earnest.

Roxanne rubbed her jaw. "He's still there, Cassie."

"How do you know?" Cassie cried. "He _attacked me. _He almost _killed _me and you're saying he's still in Azkaban? Who was it if not him?"

"I don't know Cassie." Roxanne reached to the table next to Cassie's bed. She dropped a paper in her daughter's lap.

Cassie read over the blaring headline.

_**DANGEROUS CRIMINAL PETITIONING FOR EARLY RELEASE.**_

There was a picture of a ragged Lucius Malfoy on the cover.

"Early release?" Cassie cried. "He's supposed to be in there for _life!_"

Roxanne nodded. "He is. He won't win the case. He's a Death Eater for crying out loud."

"Dad's a Death Eater." Cassie snapped. "And he's one of the best Auror the Ministry's got!"

"That's different."

"Is it?" Cassie asked in a voice that was hard and icy. She swung her legs over the bed.

"Cassie, you were just healed!"

Cassie swayed. "James!" She cried.

Roxanne was only somewhat surprised when James burst through the door and was at her daughter's side in an instant. His arm was around her waist, supporting her weight. Roxanne could see the charge between them. She stood.

"Cassie!" She scolded.

Cassie looked at her mother and looked down at her feet sheepishly. "I didn't mean to. It was an accident!"

"Your father specifically told you _not _to make the bond!" Roxanne was furious. "And by _accident_? You didn't even give him a choice! You half hate the boy!"

James' arm tightened around Cassie, dragging her closer to him. "Mrs. Malfoy, it's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" Roxanne burst. "You don't understand the extent of this! How do you think this will affect your life? Your spouses won't exactly like that the two of you know each other better than anybody! You have to live like this for the rest of your lives!"

James felt Cassie grow angry. _Cassie._

Cassie lashed out at her mother through the bond they hand. _You don't know what you talk about. What I do with my mind is none of you business._

Roxanne's hands curled into fists. _You are my only daughter; what you do is entirely my business! You hate him and you don't regret bonding with him? What is wrong-?_

Cassie's mind was icy. _Don't lie to yourself, Mum. You know very well that I don't hate him entirely. He's my best friend._

_Learn how to hide the bond. _Roxanne's mentality was weary. _Your boyfriends and eventual husband will not take well to it._

"How would you know?" Cassie suddenly shouted. "The only people you've bonded with are your _husband _and you're child!"

"Cassie." James said in a low voice.

She whipped her head around to stare at him.

"You've been sick for days, let's go get something to eat." He said gently.

Roxanne watched with interest how Harry Potter's son was able to calm her unpredictable storm of a daughter.

Cassie sighed, leaning against him slightly. "Fine." She turned to her mother. "Thank you for healing me."

Roxanne stepped up to her and hugged her daughter. "Be careful. I'll have your father send you an owl."

"I'm always careful, Mum." Cassie said.

James and Roxanne laughed shortly at the same time.

Roxanne kissed her daughter's cheek. "I love you."

"I know." Cassie said with a small smile.

James elbowed her. She scowled at him.

"I love you too, Mum."

Roxanne watched as her daughter walked out of the infirmary with her arm slung over James' shoulder. She sighed and rubbed her temple, subtly healing the headache seeping into her head. She swirled her cloak over her shoulders before walking towards the Headmistress's office to have a very serious conversation with her former Professor.


	11. The Dark Arts

Chapter 10

* * *

><p>Cassie sat next to James in the back of the Potions classroom, tipping her chair backwards on the back two legs. She had a box of chocolate in her lap that Hugo Weasley had given her after he found that she had been released from the infirmary. She had been eating chocolate and sugary foods for the past two days.<p>

James reached over and absently took one of the chocolates from the box. Cassie's chair slammed forward. She grabbed his wrist, hissing at him.

"No! Not the raspberry one!" She snatched the chocolate from him. _You know it's my favorite! _

James grinned at her and reached for another chocolate, this time one of the flavors she didn't like as much. As he ate it, he felt troubled suddenly. He was remembering something Roxanne had said: _"…the two of you know each other better than anybody…"_ Over the past couple of days, he realized that she was right. As much as she and James got in explosive fights, they did know each other extraordinarily well.

Cassie was just as distracted as James, but she was not thinking about him or her mother. She was puzzling over the mystery of the man she had thought was Lucius Malfoy. How was it that he was near Hogwarts and in Azkaban? He was _here_, making her life a living hell, and in Azkaban, petitioning to be released from prison early.

Neither Cassie nor James was paying any attention to the Potions professor, who was lecturing about how the potion they were about to make could be highly explosive if you were to put the rose roots into the potion instead of the rose leaves.

So, when it came to making the potion, things did not go well. Cassie was still snacking on chocolate as she chopped up the ingredients. James was staring into the cauldron as he stirred it without actually seeing what he was doing. Cassie swiftly cut up rose root.

The potions professor didn't check up on them. Cassie was the daughter of Draco Malfoy and seemed to have inherited his skills at potions; James was the son of Harry Potter and was one of the top students in her class.

Cassie swept up a handful of the rose root she had just cut up and dumped it into the cauldron. James stirred it and for a few seconds, nothing seemed to be wrong. And then Cassie was drawn from her thoughts by the presence of sparks in the cauldron and the furious bubbling of the potion.

"James!" She shouted, yanking him away from the cauldron and down towards the floor just as it exploded.

"Shit." He swore as the bubbling potion splattered on them and all over the table.

Both of them were trying to shield the other from the chunks of cauldron. Cassie was trying to push him to the floor and grab for her wand. James was trying to sweep her behind him. They tumbled onto the floor.

Their lab table was burning.

The other students were shouting in alarm.

The professor couldn't move fast enough.

The entire table suddenly exploded. Splinters of wood, cauldron, and boiling hot potion went everywhere. Cassie screamed in pain as the potion splattered over the skin of her neck. James ignored the crippling pain in his leg and started pulling Cassie away.

Gold light suddenly covered James and Cassie. James felt the peculiar feeling of it against his skin. Flashes of cool followed by streaks of warmth. Cassie's magic was shielding them from the debris flying in the air around them.

The professor cast an extinguishing charm when the pieces of table and metal cauldron settled and she cleaned up the splinters of wood in the same moment.

Cassie reached across James. He shouted at her when she pulled a splinter of wood from his leg that was the length of a wand.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He cried. "Fuck that hurts!"

"Mr. Potter! Language!" The professor scolded. "Miss Malfoy, please bring him to the infirmary at once."

Cassie ignored her. Her hand hovered above the hole in James' leg. A curtain of gold wrapped around his leg. He tensed as the Old Magic went to work healing him. He reached up to brush the side of her neck, where the potion had burned her.

"You're hurt."

"I'm fine." Her voice was thick with pain. "It's my fault anyways, I wasn't paying attention to the directions."

"Neither was i." James said with a laugh. "OW!" He suddenly cried out.

"Sorry." Cassie said without sounding as if she was. She pulled her hand back, flexing her fingers and withdrawing the gold magic.

James looked at his leg in amazement. His skin was unharmed and there was no scar. It was as if there hadn't been a chunk of wood in his leg except for the hole in his trousers. Cassie looked at her own hands uncertaintly.

"Cassie, just heal yourself."

She glared. "I don't know how."

He pointed at the glitter of gold around the burns. "Seems like the magic does."

"Alright!" The professor clapped her hands together. "And now we know why we _don't _put rose root into this potion. Everyone, back to your tables."

James helped Cassie to her feet. They looked at the destruction of their table with differing expression. James looked somewhat amused as he picked up their wands. Cassie looked crestfallen.

"My chocolates are gone." She whispered.

* * *

><p>Cassie skipped lunch that day to go to the library. She had a note crumpled in one of her hands. It read: <em>Next time, your mother won't have the chance to save you.<em>

Cassie decided that it was time to take things into her own hands. It was obvious that whoever this man, whether it was Lucius Malfoy or somebody else, he was a better dueler than she was. Not to mention, he used dark magic of a kind Cassie had never seen before.

She slid into the library. The librarian was nowhere in sight, so she walked into the Restricted Section without hesitation. She was familiar with this section, having used it since her very first year at Hogwarts. She trailed her fingers against the shelves, reading over the titles until she found a few books which looked like they would be helpful.

_Death Eater Fighting Styles._

_Basic Dark Arts._

_The History of Dark Art Dueling._

_Old Magics Used For the Dark Arts._

Cassie found a tiny alcove that would be out of sight of anyone unless they walked right by her and opened one of the books.

She poured over the texts through lunch and her free period directly after it. She returned the books to the shelves and slipped out of the library, unnoticed by the librarian.

"What are you up to?"

Cassie jumped. James was leaning against the wall next to the library doors.

"Nothing, James." She said. "Just research."

"What kind of research?" He fell into step beside her.

"Boring research." She snapped.

She caught sight of Lily and Rose down the hall and jogged away from James to catch up to them. James scowled at her back. He knew that she was up to something; he was determined to find out what.

* * *

><p>After Quidditch practice the next day, James followed Cassie into the library, made invisible by his father's cloak. He didn't blink an eye when she ducked into the Restricted Section; he had been there with her many times before.<p>

He didn't realize what books she was reading until she settled into her alcove. James sat on the floor a few feet away. Anger and concern rolled off of him as he read the titles of the books. They were all about the Dark Arts.

"You aren't terribly subtle, James." Cassie said softly as she opened one of the books.

"Are you insane?" He hissed. "You can't use the Dark Arts! You'll get expelled, imprisoned or killed!"

"I'm not going to use them, James."

"Using the Dark Arts is not something to joke about! Your father may be a respected man, but he has a bad history and if you get caught, you're family will be punished for it as well!" James continued as if he hadn't heard her.

Cassie's hand snapped out and covered James' mouth. "I'm doing _research_. I'm not going to use the bloody stuff!"

_Then what the hell are you doing?_

She sighed. _The Dark Arts is almost always used to cause intentional harm. It is fueled by corruption, hate, and malice. It has a connotation of being evil, but it can be used as good._

_What do you mean? _

_The Old Magic I inherited from my mother is half Dark Arts. My ability to harm is an extremely coveted form of dark magic and many wizards and witches in the past have tried to steal it for themselves or harness those who can wield it. However, if _I _am good, I can use the Dark Arts for good as well._

"Cass." He said as a warning.

She let out a rattling sigh. _I'm going to have to use it to defeat him. I won't use any specific Dark Art curses, but I will use _my _dark magic to protect people._

_You mean yourself. _He thought coldly.

"No!" She burst out in frustration. "Not just myself, you fucking idiot!"

She cringed when she realized what she had just done. She hurriedly put the books back and darted out of the Restricted Section.

James was just steps behind her. He tore the invisibility cloak off once they were in the hallways.

"You are _so _selfish!" He hissed. "How can you do this to everyone? You're putting us _all _in danger!"

She whirled on him. "No! I'm trying to protect everyone!"

Cassie was tall, but James was two hands taller than her. He stepped close to her, forcing her back. "You're pushing Rose and Lily away and you're freaking the hell out of me! You're obsessed with this person. For Merlin's sake, you're talking about _killing _him!"

Cassie's gray eyes hardened. "He's threatening to kill me! And _you_!"

"Cassie, you're _fucking _insane! He's not your grandfather! He's probably just someone pulling a prank on you!"

"Do you not remember that I almost _died _three days ago? That's not a prank, James!"

They were shouting at each other by now.

"Of course I remember!" He had nothing else to say.

"Exactly! So don't you dare call _me _insane!" She jabbed her finger into his chest. "Yes, I'm freaking out about this and it's all I'm thinking about, but I have my reasons!"

"What reasons could you _possibly _have?" He snapped.

"I'm scared!" She shouted. "I'm more scared than I have _ever _been in my entire life!"

James rocked back on his heels in surprise.

Cassie kept shouting at him. "I'm terrified that this man will succeed! I'm terrified of being killed! I'm terrified of being weak! I'm terrified of being defeated! I'm scared of not being in control of my own life and having it taken away! I'm terrified for my mother, my father, Rose and Lily! I'm terrified of _you _being hurt most of all!"

They stared at each other. James in shock. Cassie in anger with her chest heaving.

Then she seemed to realize what she had just said. She looked like she would be sick.

"Oh, Merlin." She gasped, putting a hand to her forehead. She stumbled back a couple of steps from James.

"Cassie-." He began, reaching for her.

"No!" She tripped farther away from him. "I didn't want to say that!" She cried. There were tears on her cheeks. "Why'd you make me say it?"

She pivoted on her heel and then she was sprinting down the hallway. James watched her go, wanting to run after her but knowing he wouldn't be able to catch up. Her long hair flowed behind her as she ran away from him.

As she tried desperately to run away from her problems.


	12. Blindsided

Chapter 11

* * *

><p>James found Cassie about twenty minutes later.<p>

She was asleep on a small beach on the shore of the Black Lake. Her robe was spread underneath her and her long legs stretched out. Her narrow ankles were crossed. Her long arms were folded under her head and her long lashes cast shadows on her cheekbones. Her long hair was braided loosely over one shoulder. Her broom was resting just an arm's length away.

James scooped up the broom and rested it across his knees when he sat a little ways away, watching as she breathed peacefully in the sand. A warm breeze swirled around the small beach. For November, it was unseasonably warm and winter seemed to be months away.

Cassie didn't look as if she had just had a terrible fight with him. She slept peacefully, as if she was completely untroubled. James sighed and dropped his head into his hands. He hated what this was doing to her.

Cassie had always been a wild person; she was reckless and slightly destructive, but she was growing more and more anxious this year. She hardly slept, she'd been eating less. She was more aggressive in Quidditch. To be honest, she was a mess.

James looked up when she stirred. She opened her eyes, caught sight of him, and tried to grab her broom that was no longer beside her. James drummed his fingers on the dark wood.

"You can't keep running away from me." He said softly.

She scrambled onto her feet, tugging at her skirt. "I'm not running."

He snorted. "You ran literally and figuratively."

She scowled and looked over the Black Lake.

James sighed and stood up. "I know you never liked talking about serious things, but how long are you going to keep this up?"

"Until I can't run any farther."

"When's that? When all your friends have left you? When you're alone in the world?" His voice was harsher than he meant. He felt awful when she flinched away from him.

"Why are you being so mean?"

"Because you're spoiled and you desperately need someone to slap some sense into you." He answered at once.

She scowled. "I am not spoiled!"

"You're a Malfoy."

"That doesn't mean a thing!" She said stubbornly.

"You know it does. Would you sit down?" He asked suddenly. "You look as if you're going to drown yourself in the lake instead of talk to me."

"I was thinking about it." She grumbled as she sat back on the sand. She folded her legs under her.

"Can you promise me something, Cass?"

She looked at him. She was wary of him, but he was her friend. She _should _trust him, but she didn't trust anyone. "Fine." She ground out.

"Can you be serious for… ten minutes?" He asked.

A muscle in her jaw jumped. "Fine."

"Why did you get so mad over Magnolia?"

"Honestly?" She snapped. "That's what you want to know-?"

"Cassie!" He shouted.

She jumped in surprise. "Alright! I was jealous, and don't ask me why. Whatever relationship we have, it's confusing as hell. It's annoying, we're really close but half the time we spend talking, we're actually fighting." She looked away from him, tracing patterns in the sand.

James tried his hardest to keep his smile off his face. "I don't like Magnolia Wood, of all people. Tell me exactly why you're looking into the Dark Arts."

She blinked, her large eyes slightly confused. The sudden change of topics threw her off. "So that I can understand him. I mean, he's probably insane, but if I understand the source of his magic and power, I understand him a bit more and I understand how to defeat him."

"So you won't actually _use _any dark magic?"

"Not unless I have to. Even then, I will only use my Old Magic."

James looked worried, and a bit scared. "What if you aren't strong enough?"

Her eyes flashed and her back straightened. "I'll have to be strong enough."

"Will you kill him?"

Cassie looked away. "I'm not sure."

"Why don't you just tell McGonagall?"

"Because not even my own mother believes that it was Lucius Malfoy! And Lucius Malfoy is in prison. And I said it before and I don't want to say it again, but I will: I'm scared of being weak."

James smiled. "You aren't weak, Cassie."

She stood. "Everyone seems to think that, but I'm not entirely sure myself." She cast a silent summoning spell and her broom flew to her waiting hand.

"One more question." James blurted. "Are you in love with me?"

The silence that fell between them was sudden. They stared at each other. James felt a wall slam up between them mentally as everything about Cassie became closed off. Her face became unreadable; her entire body tensed as if she was ready to flee. He had surprised himself by asking it and it seemed he had sent her into a high alert state.

"Your ten minutes are up." She said quietly. She jumped into the air, swinging onto her broom and streaking into the air.

"Cassie!" James shouted. "Fuck." He wanted to hit himself. He hadn't meant to ask that. Not yet.

* * *

><p>"Rose!"<p>

Cassie's shout filled the entire corridor full of students and made Rose Weasley's step falter. She was walking next to a tall blonde seventh year: Cormac. She turned to see Cassie running down the hall, pushing past the crowd of younger students. She was holding her broom in one hand.

"Cassie?"

Cassie was barely able to stop from slamming into her. "I need to talk to you!" She glanced at Cormac. "Hey, Cormac."

"Hey, Malfoy."

Rose was trying to remember the last time she saw Cassie so flustered. Cassie was tugging on her arm slightly painfully.

"Cormac, I'll see -."

He nods. "Go on. I'll talk to you later."

"Thank Godric." Cassie muttered as she dragged Rose away.

"Cassie?" Rose asked as Cassie pushed her into an alcove. "What's the matter?"

Cassie hastily cast a silencing spell and leaned her broom against a corner. "James just asked me if I loved him!" She blurted. She was pacing in the tiny space. "Like, what the fuck? Where the hell did that come from? I _hate _him!"

"Cassie, shut up!" Rose grabbed her shoulders and forced her to sit down on the window ledge. "What did you say back to him?"

Cassie was off the ledge as soon as Rose's hands released her. "I didn't! I just flew off and found you. Rose, _why would he ask that?_"

Rose looked at her. There was pity and amusement in her expression. "Cassie, be serious. It's _you _and _James._"

"Exactly! Why would _anyone _think that I would like him? It's James _fucking _Potter!"

Rose shook her head. "I didn't mean it that way."

Cassie froze in shock. "Oh, Merlin. You think I like him? You think I like him! Why?" She shouted.

"Because it's you and James."

"What does that mean? We hate each other!"

Rose was shaking her head again. "Do you really, Cassie? You've been best friends since you were like four."

"But we fight all the time!"

"But when it really matters, you're both there for each other. You always have been. It seems kind of cliché for you two to develop feelings for each other, but it makes sense."

Cassie fell against the wall. Her eyes were wide, her mouth was slack and she was shaking.

"Are you alright, Cassie? You kind of look like you're going to faint." Rose put a hand on Cassie's shoulder.

Cassie looked up at her. "I can't like James Potter."

"Why not?"

"He's the son of _Harry Potter_!"

"And…?" Rose was lost.

"I'm the daughter of _Draco Malfoy!_"

Rose couldn't help but laugh.

Cassie's face darkened. "What the hell could you _possibly _find funny about this situation?"

"If your parents are the only reason you have for not falling for James, you probably are already half in love with him."

Rose reached up to pat Cassie's cheek before unsilencing the nook and walking back into the hallway. Cassie stared after her.

She felt herself beginning to panic. Before she lost it in the middle of the corridor, she grabbed her broom and took off down the corridor.

* * *

><p>Whenever Cassie was dealing with overwhelming emotions she didn't want to feel, she would go to the Quidditch pitch and practice her Beater skills. She dragged the box that contained all four Quidditch balls onto the field. She had a Beater's bat tucked against her side. She mounted her broom and bent down to release one of the Bludgers from the box.<p>

The iron ball exploded into the sky.

Cassie flew after it. She wielded the bat with two hands and hit the Bludger as hard as she could. It whistled across the pitch before spinning to a halt and then rocketing towards her again. Cassie let out a shout when she struck it this time.

* * *

><p>Lily found her nearly an hour later, lying in the middle of the Quidditch pitch. The box was shut tight and the Bludger locked away. Cassie's broom lay on one side of her and the shattered Bludger bat lay on the other. Lily walked out onto the pitch until she stood right next to her.<p>

"I heard my brother blindsided you." She said conversationally.

Cassie opened one eye and stared up at Lily. "That he did. I want to kill him for it."

Lily raised her brows. "I thought you'd be pleased. At least he isn't snogging Magnolia Wood in a storage closet."

Cassie shut her eye again and sighed. "That's a ridiculous notion. Magnolia's too scared of me to hook up with James."

"Or maybe James fancies someone else." Lily whistled under her breath as she waited for Cassie to reply.

"Am I the only sane person here? Why does everyone seem to think that we fancy each other? We fight all the bloody time." Cassie sounded more frustrated than ever.

Lily stopped whistling. "I live with James and I know him better than I like to admit sometimes. When it comes to you, he's over protective and over concerned. It gets ridiculous after a while, but it's just how he is. It's nauseating how much he cares about you."

Cassie sat up to look at Lily directly. "Then why are we always fighting?"

Lily shrugged. "Because you usually provoke him and he doesn't know how else to act around you. He's charming with other girls because he's polite; he's stubborn with you because he actually cares."

"So next time someone's a huge pain in the ass, it's because they _care?_" Cassie raised a brow skeptically.

"No, that's just James. He's terribly hopeless sometimes."

Cassie's voice was small. "Do you think he… loves me?"

Lily snorted. "Cass, I _know _he loves you."

"But I don't want him to!" Cassie shouted, leaping to her feet. "Why can't we just stick to being-?"

"Being what?" Lily interrupted. "Friends? Enemies? Which are you? You don't even know what your relationship with him is now. Why not keep an open mind?"

"Because I don't want an open mind! I've never seriously cared about anyone that way!"

"Haven't you cared about James your entire life?"

That shut Cassie up. She clamped her mouth shut and looked away.

Lily rubbed the back of her neck. "Come on, I'll help you carry that box back into storage." She picked up one side of the Quidditch box and waited for Cassie to pick up the other. "Listen, Cassie. I know you, and I know my brother. Whatever he feels towards you, it's serious. He knows that you're not good with this kind of thing, so he won't jump it on you again. He planted the thought in your head; if you want to talk to him about it, you have to bring it up yourself. It's a lot to take in if you haven't noticed it before. He'll give you time, so take as much time as you need."

Cassie had nothing to say in response; it was too much right now. With the Lucius Malfoy... thing? Mystery? Whatever that was. She couldn't handle being confused by her and James' relationship at the same time.

It was all too much.


	13. When A Heart Breaks

Chapter 12

* * *

><p>Cassie avoided talking to James in private for the next three days. The part of her mind that wasn't constantly panicking was proud of that fact. The only time they were close to alone was in Potions class, but Cassie was careful to keep the bond blocked and the conversation minimal.<p>

Even without the bond, she could tell that James was becoming more and more frustrated with every passing day. He started to snap at anyone who spoke to him and he pushed the Quidditch team harder and harder.

And Cassie wasn't the only one who knew that something was wrong. Anyone could tell by looking at the two of them that something had happened. They rarely spoke; Cassie avoided looking directly at James while James watched Cassie more than usual. Cassie was mysteriously absent at most meals and she disappeared after classes. James was growing irritable.

At the end of the third day, James' usually long temper snapped. He was walking back to the Gryffindor common room from speaking to a professor when he saw Cassie's familiar blonde braid. The corridor was empty, most everyone had returned to the common rooms half an hour before.

"Cassie!" He shouted.

She turned to stare at him. Her eyes widened, and then she turned and started to run.

"Cassie!" James dropped his book bag and took off after her.

On any usual day, Cassie could have easily outrun him. But this day was different; Cassie was exhausted and worn out and James was mad. Cassie led him up and down stairs, down hallways and at one point through a courtyard.

James caught her on the ground floor staircase in the West wing. He caught her around the waist and dragged her down the three steps she had lunged up. They crashed to the floor, a tangle of legs and arms.

Cassie tried to struggle free, but James had an iron grip on her wrists and he held her captive. She tried to kick at him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He grumbled as he pinned her legs down with one of his. "All I want to do is talk, though I know that's torture to you!"

"What the hell is wrong with _you_?" She spat back. "Since when does James Potter tackle people in the hallways?"

"Since Cassiopeia Malfoy became a coward!"

Cassie slammed against his chest, knocking him back onto the floor. His grip on her wrists yanked her down next to him. She filled the air with curses. "I am not a coward!"

"Yes you are! I ask one measly question and you avoid me for three whole days!"

"Measly?" She asked incredulously. "You call _that _question measly? Do you even know what that word means?"

"Of course I do!" He scowled at her. "I didn't mean to ask that question yet!"

"_Yet?_"

"Yes, _yet. _I was going to wait until after this whole stalker thing blew over, but then you so graciously pointed out that he might kill you and I kinda freaked out!"

"I hate you!" Cassie snarled, trying to punch at him with her small fists.

He held her back easily. "Yeah, I really hate you as well!"

They both knew that he didn't mean it. Neither of them knew if Cassie meant it.

"You're an insufferable, arrogant bastard!" Cassie spat.

"And you're a self absorbed coward."

Again, she slammed into him. This time, she wrenched her hands free and started to hit him over and over. "I am not a coward!" She shouted. "I'm not!"

"If you aren't a coward, stop avoiding all your problems!" James shouted back, trying to grab her fists.

She was clearly the better fighter. She twisted out of his grip each time and continued striking his chest and shoulders. James grabbed her shoulders and knocked her onto her back. He sat on her stomach and pinned down her arms. Still, she struggled. She twisted in such a way that she flung James off of her.

Cassie leapt to her feet, grabbing her wand from where it had fallen to the floor and backed to the opposite side of the corridor. James rolled to his feet as she did. He held his wand aloft for a moment. They stared at each other.

James threw his wand to the ground. "Do it."

"Do what?" Cassie snapped, confused as hell and irritated.

"Hex me, jinx me, curse me. If that's your way of solving this problem, do it." He stretched his arms out, giving her a clear shot.

For a moment, he thought she might actually do it. Her eyes sparked dangerously and her wand hand did not shake. He could practically see her mind running through the dozens of spells she knew that would satisfy her anger. But then her mouth twisted in that defiant way he knew so well and she threw her wand to the side.

"No! You would only call me a coward again if I did." She folded her arms over her chest.

"I would have." James said with a small smile.

She scowled. "Don't smile at me! I'm still mad!"

His smile only widened. "You're not mad at me, Cassie. You're just scared and confused."

She sighed. "That doesn't help me. I already knew that. I still don't know how to solve my problems."

"We could act like it never happened."

She shook her head. "That's tempting, but no. It would only happen again if what Lily said is true."

His smile dissolved. "What did she say?"

"That you were in love with me." Cassie said miserably, staring down at the floor.

"Is that a bad thing?"

Cassie looked at him sharply. He was staring straight at her; he hadn't denied it. "James. I don't even know if we're friends or if we're enemies."

He frowned. "What do you mean? I thought we were best friends."

"But we fight all the time."

"That doesn't mean anything!"

She threw up her hands in exasperation. "Am I the _only _one who is blind to that?" She grumbled.

"Did you think that we weren't friends?"

Cassie didn't miss the pain in his voice. "No! That isn't it at all! It just gets so confusing; when am I supposed to be your friend? When am I supposed to be a stubborn ass?"

James' anger was plain on his face. "So what were you doing? Acting for years?"

"No!" Cassie cried. "You just give off a lot of mixed signals!"

"_I _give off mixed signals?" He shouted. "Have you even noticed how you act around me?"

Cassie flinched at the volume of his voice. "James, I was confused! I have been for years!"

"Well, maybe you should figure out what the fuck is going on in your head before you speak to me again." He said coldly.

Cassie stared at him, feeling the hot prickle of tears on the backs of her eyes. He had _never _spoken to her like that before. She felt something shake inside her; was he making a terrible joke? She couldn't tell, but the look in his eyes frightened her.

"James?" Her voice broke, her throat tightened.

He turned away from her and started to walk away. Cassie felt that shaking thing inside of her give way. All the strength in her dissolved as she watched his back moving away from her.

"James!" She felt the wall she had built across their bond crumble.

She pressed a hand against her mouth, trying to force the sob back down her throat. Her back slammed against the stone behind her and she slid to the floor. Tears raced down her cheeks, chasing each other from her watery eyes. She gasped for air and buried her face into her arms. Great sobs shook her to the very bone.

She couldn't see James stumble just beyond the doorway and grasp for some purchase on the smooth wall. He clutched at his chest as he fell to the floor.

Cassie curled her knees to her chest, pulling them tight against her as if they could hold in the pain. The tightness in her chest only grew more unbearable.

"Cassie."

She refused to look up at him. She pressed her face against her arms, trying to stop the flow of tears.

_Cassie._

She had to look at him. She couldn't disobey him when he pushed that much emotion across the bond. His eyes, flooded with tears, met her blue gray ones. She bit her bare forearm to stifle the noises of her sobs.

* * *

><p>James slid across the floor to where Cassie was. She was breaking down. He could feel it through the bond that had suddenly washed over him again and he could see it. He had never seen her like this. All the strength in her was being torn away from her; all the confusion and fear and uncertainty created a wild storm inside of her.<p>

James reached for her, pulling her slim form against him. He wrapped his arms around her. His head knocked against hers as she raised it. Her sobs were not nearly as broken as they were a moment ago.

He had never realized how truly unstable she was. She had no true grip on anything.

"I'm sorry." He whispered against her hair.

"No." She shook her head furiously. He could feel her holding in the sobs; they still shook her body. "You have the right to be mad. I'm an awful-."

He knew what she was going to say before she said it. He clamped her hand over her mouth. "No, you're not."

_Please don't be mad at me._

"I'm not. I'm mad at myself. I should have realized that you were going through too much. You're strong, but you're not indestructible."

Suddenly, she was showing him a memory. He tensed as it filled his mind's eyes. It had a foreign, but familiar, feel to it. It was an image of Lily and her voice filled his ears. _"…__When it comes to you, he's over protective and over concerned. It gets ridiculous after a while, but it's just how he is. It's nauseating how much he cares about you…"_

James shifted uncomfortably. When had his sister become so perceptive?

"How was I so blind to it for all these years?"

"Because you're no Luna Lovegood."

She laughed slightly, but the storm of emotion was still whirling around inside of her and it was distracting her. James got to his feet.

He felt a flash of fear slice through Cassie's mind. She clung to his hand and pressed it against her forehead.

"I'm so sorry. I really truly am, James. But I don't know how I feel. I don't know anything and I'm sorry for that." Her eyes were clenched shut. James could feel her bracing herself.

He grabbed her other hand and pulled her on to her feet. "Don't worry about it, Cassie."

She stared at his face. "You're a terrible liar." Her lips began to tremble again and he saw tears well up in her eyes. He cursed himself for not controlling his own mind.

James held his hand against her mouth and knocked his forehead hard against hers. He stared into her eyes. "Please don't cry again."

She shut her pale eyes tightly, but hot tears slipped from between the lashes and ran over his hand. He sighed slightly and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling him against her. She buried her face against his shirt.

_I don't want to be like this! _She practically shouted through the bond. _I don't want to be confused and frightened! I thought I was brave and strong, but I'm-._

He broke her off. "You are braver and stronger than I could ever hope to be, but even the strongest people fall down. You just have to pick yourself back up, dust off the dirt, and keeping going forward."

"How?"

He never realized that a one worded question could be so impossible to respond to. He held her a bit tighter.

"I don't know. I'm not one of the strong ones. You are."


	14. Planning

Chapter 13

* * *

><p><em>I want this all over with by the New Year's Ball.<em>

A flash of panic went through James as Cassie's voice sounded in his mind while he was in Transfiguration class the next day.

_What do you mean? _His mind instantly jumped to the awkwardly tense friendship between him and Cassie.

_Not that. Idiot. _She grumbled. _I mean this thing with the stalker._

James turned around in his front row seat to stare at Cassie three rows back. "Are you insane?" He burst out.

Cassie raised her hands to her face and tipped her chair back, groaning aloud.

"_Mr. _Potter!" McGonagall spoke crisply. "You are in the middle of _silent _bookwork! If you would like to speak to Miss Malfoy, do it on your _own _time!"

The class stifled laughter. Cassie glared at the back of James' head as he bent back over his work. She could see the flush of embarrassment coloring the back of his neck.

_Why is that insane? _She asked suddenly.

He jerked in his chair, surprised by her voice. _Because it's the fourth of November._

_ Exactly. I have two months._

_ A lot can go wrong in two months. _He grumbled.

_And a lot can go right._

He sighed aloud and twirled the end of his quill around in the air. He got distracted for a moment, thinking about how Cassie would clamp the end of her quill between her teeth when she thought hard about something.

_Focus. _She snapped.

_Sorry._ He gathered his scattered thoughts. _If you want to know enough and be strong enough to defeat him within two months, we need Rose and Lily's help._

_ And Hugo to supply more chocolate. _She said with a wistful tone. _Since my last batch was destroyed._

_ Do you mind involving them?_

He could feel her hesitation.

* * *

><p>Cassie thought carefully. Rose was a genius, as knowledgeable as her mother. Lily was frightfully clever and she was known for being willing to be a sparring partner to anyone who needed it. But would either of them take her seriously? She was usually the one giving them advice, whether it had to do with a prank, boy trouble or sneaking out at night for any given reason. She supposed that this was the time to find out if they were truly her friends.<p>

* * *

><p>Cassie hurried away from her seat in Transfiguration when the bell rang overhead. She pushed between two gossiping girls to reach Rose and Lily's desk as quickly as possible.<p>

"What are you guys doing during your free period today?"

Rose shrugged. "I was going to study."

"I was going to pretend to study." Lily said with a smirk.

"Let's venture out of the common room for once." Cassie said, forcing her tone to be light. "How about…" She was scrambling to think of somewhere private enough.

"The boat house?" James suggested as he walked up to them.

Lily's eyes lit up. "Sounds like fun. We'll be there." She winked at Cassie, who flushed lightly, and walked swiftly out of the room.

Rose looked from Cassie to James. "What's up?" She asked innocently.

"Nothing!" Cassie and James said at the same moment.

Cassie scowled and stormed out of the room.

Rose looked at James. "Romance is fun, isn't it cousin?"

James mock glared at her. "You have it easy. Cormac is a simple minded person." He started out of the classroom.

Rose looked indignant. "He's more intelligent than you! How can you even say that?" She argued as she followed him out.

* * *

><p>At lunch, waves of anger radiated from Cassie as she read yet another report on Lucius Malfoy and his determined petition. With a noise of disgust, she threw it away from her down the table.<p>

"You're done with it, Malfoy?" Someone asked.

"Yes. Take it." She waved her hand at them.

_Who else could it be? _She asked James.

_I don't know. Do you know anyone who hates your family?_

_ Many of the old purebloods were angry over my parents' marriage, but I don't think enough to actually threaten me. Most of those feelings went away after I was born and it was clear my father would not remarry._

James frowned, thinking of all the political conversations his mother and father had had over the years. There had been several conversations about the Malfoys, but mostly about how his mother was sick of his father not getting along with Draco. _I can't think of anyone._

_ I know that it _looked _like him. _Cassie said stubbornly. _It has to be someone who knows that Lucius Malfoy did not approve of his son's life choices._

_ But everyone knows about that._

"Who are you talking about?" Lily asked suddenly, making Cassie and James jump.

Rose, Lily and Hugo were all staring at them.

"What do you mean?" Cassie asked.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Even when you aren't looking at eachother, it's obvious you're doing that telepath thing."

"There's no telepathy thing." James said with a shake of his head. "You guys have been spending too much time with Trelawney."

Cassie took a large drink of orange juice, trying to avoid the conversation as much as possible.

"Lucius Malfoy?" Lily guessed nonchalantly.

Cassie choked on her orange juice and sent it spraying across the table and all over James.

"What the _fuck _Cass?" He shouted, leaping back over the bench. He wiped juice from his face and hair.

Cassie blatantly ignored him to stare at Lily. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

Lily's sharp eyes were dancing. She knew that she had guessed correctly. "You must be upset over that petition. It's no secret he's furious at your father and probably hates you just because of your blood."

"Lily!" Rose said with surprise.

"What?" She snapped. "I'm not prejudice, but Lucius Malfoy most definitely is."

"Cassie!" James interrupted.

"What?" Cassie cried, snapping her head up to look at him.

"Would you mind helping me get your juice-spit off of me?"

Cassie frowned at him. "Why? You've got your own blasted wand."

He scowled at her. _Some help you are._

_ You should have dodged it._

He was furious. _How the hell would I have dodged that? You sprayed it everywhere!_

_ Oh, be a man. I'll buy you a new shirt if it bothers you that much!_

"You're doing it again." Hugo said, surprising everyone.

"Oh my god!" Rose laughed. "You definitely are!"

Cassie scowled at her plate. James silently cleaned himself up and sat back down. Rose and Lily were still laughing at them. Hugo had turned back to his younger friends, having stirred up enough trouble for the meal.

"Rose, are you going to the New Year's Ball with Cormac?" Cassie asked sweetly.

"Are you going with James?" Rose snapped back.

Cassie bristled.

James snorted. "What?" He asked when Cassie glared at him. "You walked right into that one."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Well, are you Rose?"

Rose flushed.

"You are!" Lily whooped. "When did he ask you? McGonagall only announced it last night!"

"We should go shopping!" Cassie burst, clapping her hands together.

James kicked her hard under the table. She bit back a shout of pain and glared at him.

_What? _She snapped.

"Oh, we should!" Lily was grinning. "I hope that someone will ask me."

_You shouldn't waste time on trivial-. _James began.

_It's not trivial! _Cassie turned her attention away from James. "Maybe Bradley Wood will ask you." She said with a smile.

Lily frowned. "I thought he'd ask you. It's obvious he fancies you."

"Not since I offended his sister and his mother." Cassie glared over at the Hufflepuff table.

"That was extremely smooth of you, by the way." Rose said under her breath. "Really, insult the sister of our team's best Beater."

"I got mad!" Cassie said with exasperation. "I couldn't help it."

"We shouldn't be that surprised." Lily said with a small smile. "You are constantly insulting the wrong people."

"You're going to fall straight on your face once you graduate." James muttered.

Cassie kicked him. He glared at her. She raised one brow. _Payback. _

"But honestly, Cass, you should work on that." Rose pointed out.

"I'm a Malfoy; I can afford to insult important people." She said with a wink.

_See, I told you. Spoiled._

Cassie aimed another kick at his shin.

* * *

><p>Cassie was the first one in the boat house. The others had gone to the common room to collect books and she had offered to make sure they wouldn't be caught. She walked down the worn stone steps. The water gently lapped against the side of the house, knocking the boats that she had arrived in during her First year against the docks. She stood in front of the large wall of paned glass.<p>

This was where Severus Snape, her father's godfather, had died by the hands of Voldemort. She shivered slightly; she hated hearing about the War. She knew about the deaths of her maternal grandparents and most of the atrocities her father was forced through.

_Just don't think about it. _James' voice comforted her.

Cassie took out her wand and lit the small lanterns around the room.

_Where are you? _She asked.

_Almost there. Just relax._

She was growing edgy. _Hurry up, James! Why the hell did I let you recommend this place? I haven't been here since forth year when-_

_Yes. _James said. _In forth year when Roxanne (*) thought that it would be funny to scare you here and the both of you nearly drowned. I remember, I was the one who had to fish you two out of the water. As soon as you were sure you didn't have a lungful of water, you started one of the worst fights since our fathers fought in the boy's washroom when they were students. Honestly, she and Fred have never like you since._

_It wasn't that bad! _Cassie exclaimed. _I only gave her a few bruises. Besides, most of the Weasleys provoke me first._

_And a black eye._

_She shoved me in water! There could have been a blasted snake or a dead body down there._

James was not amused. _You still beat up my cousin._

_She was-_

Cassie whirled when footsteps clattered down the stairs.

"Put your bloody wand down, Cassie." Lily grinned. "Are you getting freaked out?"

Cassie scowled. "I'm not freaked out."

Rose and James followed her down the stairs. James tossed a small rucksack to Cassie. "From Hugo."

Cassie grinned as she stuck her hand into the bag and pulled out wrapped pieces of chocolate. "Thank you, Hugo."

"So why did you really ask us to come out here?" Rose asked as she lay her robe on the floor and sat on it. "It clearly wasn't to study."

James looked at Cassie. Cassie sighed.

"I need your help."

Cassie expected them to ask question, but Lily just leaned against the wall. Rose looked at her with raised brows.

"Go on."

Cassie looked at James. How the hell was she supposed to explain this?

"Cassie's being stalked and threatened." He said shortly. "The man has already attacked her once, that's how she got sick the other week. We need your help to make sure Cassie can defeat him."

Rose leapt to her feet. "Who the hell is it?"

Cassie shifted. "I think its Lucius Malfoy."

Lily frowned. "But he's still in prison."

"I know!" Cassie exclaimed. "But I've seen him! And who else is tall and slim with white blonde hair? It's a Malfoy, I know it."

"What would you need us to do?" Rose asked. She was rigid with anger.

"Well, whoever he is, he uses dark magic. I need to know more advanced spells." Cassie glanced at Lily. "And I need to practice."

"This is why you've been so off lately?" Rose asked.

Cassie nodded.

"I'll do it." Rose said.

"Me as well." Lily agreed.

James grinned. "Good."

"One condition." Rose said.

Cassie was wary at once. "Depends on the condition."

"If it goes too far, we're calling in the Aurors."

Cassie felt James' nervousness. He wanted her to agree, she knew. "Fine." She said with only a moment of hesitation.

Lily's eyes narrowed. "Then let's get to work."

* * *

><p>For the next two weeks, there wasn't a sign of the blonde stalker and the four sixth year Hogwarts students prepared for an uncertain enemy.<p>

Rose studied the notes from the stalker and researched as much as she could on the Dark Arts, Death Eaters, and Old Magics.

Lily taught Cassie to be a faster and more alert dueler.

James was her moral support.

Hugo supplied bagfuls of candy, though he was unaware of the entire situation.

* * *

><p>Lily looked at Cassie's empty bed in confusion. She twisted her damp auburn hair onto her head as she walked into the Gryffindor common room.<p>

She found Cassie there, sleeping in a loveseat with a large book open on her chest and her head tipped back. Her legs were thrown over James' lap; he sat on the other end of the loveseat. He was just as asleep as Cassie.

Lily stood in front of them, tapping her foot.

"What are we supposed to do about this?" Rose asked as she walked into the common room.

"I have no idea, but it's happening more and more often." Lily said. "I don't think she's slept in her own bed in four days."

"Think she's getting less confused?"

Lily snorted. "No. I think she's just getting used to the idea of not having to act like she hates him. And she's becoming more confident with this Lucius business."

Rose nodded. "You think it's Lucius as well, then?"

"Somehow." Lily suddenly reached out and slapped Cassie across the face.

Cassie jolted awake. The heavy book tumbled off her chest and her legs jerked up and only narrowly missed kicking James in the face. James woke only seconds behind her, just as startled as Cassie was.

Cassie glared at Lily. "That wasn't nice." She stretched back against the loveseat. "Why can't I sleep longer? We were up until one o'clock last night." She twisted to bury her face in the cushion.

"Cass." James grumbled as her knees dug into his stomach. "Watch it."

"I told you to go to bed." She muttered.

"And you wanted someone to stay up and make sure you didn't fall asleep down here."

She kicked him gently. "I didn't say that."

He grabbed her foot. "You thought it."

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Rose asked, interrupting them.

"Nothing, Rose." Cassie groaned.

Lily grabbed her shoulders and pulled her off the loveseat. "Time to get up."

Cassie groaned but got to her feet anyway. "It's a Saturday, why are we getting up so early?"

"Because it's already ten o'clock."

Cassie seemed to wake up at once. "Ten o'clock? We missed breakfast!" She looked so crestfallen that Lily felt bad for her. Cassie fell back onto the loveseat. "Jamie, will you get me something to eat?"

James looked at her skeptically. "You have legs, you go to the kitchens yourself."

Cassie glared at him. "Jerk."

"Lazy." He yawned as he walked towards the stairs to the boys' dormitory. "I'll see you guys at lunch."

Cassie watched him with a frown. "He's just going back to bed."

"How do you know?" Rose asked.

Lily unknowingly saved her. "It's my brother. He can't function correctly on less than ten hours of sleep."

Cassie got to her feet. "I'll be back later. I need coffee and food."

Lily and Rose watched as Cassie disappeared out of the portrait door. Lily looked at Rose. "You're right. They did make the bond."

Rose smiled. "Romantic, isn't it?"

Lily fell onto the loveseat. "Bit creepy, actually."

"Be nice, Lily. He's your brother."

"Exactly my point."

* * *

><p><strong>(*) This is referring to Roxanne <em>Weasley, <em>not Cassie's mother. Completely forgot that they had the same name and now I feel rather dumb. Sorry about that!**

**AN: _It's midnight, this is the last update of the day. I thought it was a rather good day and I'm now so fully obsessed with the plot I'm dreaming about it. :) Yay for dorky writing perks!_**

**_x_**

**_K_**


	15. Extinction

Chapter 14

* * *

><p>Cassie's father had told her that befriending the house elves who worked in the kitchens would be advantageous to her throughout her school years. She had followed his advice, spending some of her free time getting to know the little creatures. Every holiday, Cassie would spend one entire day with them. If they weren't so determined to obedient and subservient, she would have given them clothing.<p>

Today, they gave her a basket full of warm rolls and fruit, a mug of coffee, and had shooed her out of the bustling kitchen. Cassie cast a warming spell on her cloak as she walked down the hill. She sat perched on the most comfortable rock on the edge of the lakeshore. After she had eaten as much as she could, she dozed.

She woke up to an unnatural cold gathering in her stomach. She shivered and pulled her cloak closer to her. She realized that her skin was warm. It was her insides that were growing cold. Alarmed, she leapt off of the rock.

Cold bit into her flesh. She felt rattled. Despair filled her. She felt cold and alone, as if all hope had been torn away from her.

Cassie could hear the grass crackle as frost crept across the ground towards her. Her breath appeared in short puffs of white in the air in front of her face. She felt her heart skip a beat as she turned towards the black spectral creature in front of her.

_Dementor._

The name slid into her mind, chilling her.

The creature was at least three meters tall. She could see the ruined and scabbed flesh of his hands. She couldn't see his face in the shadow of its torn cloak.

_Dementor. _

They were supposed to be extinct and gone.

So why was there one here? On the school grounds? Moving towards her?

Cassie felt a scream rise in her throat. She was about to release it, but the Dementor reached for her with its bony fingers. It was suddenly upon her. She could hear its breath rattling in its throat.

Then its terrible face was uncovered. Eyeless, noseless; where its mouth was supposed to be, there was a large gaping hole full of shadows.

Cassie felt herself grow hopeless as its face neared hers. She stiffened, trying desperately to fight against its atrocity. But she couldn't fight it. It was sucking all the hope and fight out of her.

The steel wrought cables that were her strength began to stretch. She could feel them strain. She finally screamed in pain and despair as a few of them snapped. She stumbled, falling hard onto her knees.

The Dementor bent closer to her.

Cassie was shaking, whether with cold or fear she did not know. Memories were being drawn to the surface that she did not want to remember. Terrible, horrific memories that she had locked away in the back of her mind.

Nearly drowning in the boat house.

Seeing James broken and battered after a Quidditch accident.

Watching a radical man on the street attack her father because of his past.

Seeing her mother miscarry when Cassie herself was only four.

_No. _Cassie wailed inside her head. She didn't want to see these! She wanted these memories locked away, where she had kept them for years. Somehow, Cassie managed to hold her wand up, even though her arm trembled with the effort.

"_Incendio_!"

Fire exploded in the face of the Dementor. He shrieked and recoiled.

But he was coming back. Cassie stumbled a few steps before the cold latched onto her again. She twisted.

"_Incendio!_"

This time, the Dementor's cloak caught on fire. Black smoke enveloped him.

Cassie gathered all her strength and ran as quickly as she could away from beach and the Dementor. A part of her knew that she was sobbing, but most of her mind was focused on fleeing.

She ran into the castle, ignoring the handful of students that wandered the halls. She wanted James, but she was too frightened to reach to him through the bond. She raced through the halls until she could no longer breathe. Her head swam and all her muscles trembled and shook.

"My dear."

Cassie shrieked and jumped. There was no one in the corridor but her. She took a moment to realize where she was; the hall that was full of paintings. The tribute to all those who had died in the Second Wizarding War.

"Have some chocolate."

Cassie flinched again and this time, she looked up to where the voice came from. A shabby looking man with graying brown hair and terrible scars across his face looked down at Cassie with warm eyes. There was a pretty woman next to him with startlingly pink hair.

"Why would I want chocolate?" Cassie managed to say, though her voice shook.

"It helps with Dementor attacks." The man said kindly.

"Who are you?" Cassie gasped, still trying to catch her breath.

"My name is Remus Lupin."

Cassie stared at him. "_You're _Teddy's father?" She looked at the smiling woman. "His mother?"

They both nodded. "Are you a friend of our son?" Remus asked.

The woman, Tonks, snorted. "Can't you tell, Remus? She's the Malfoy heir. James' friend."

Cassie flushed slightly. "Yes, I'm Cassie Malfoy. Do you know about Dementors?"

"Of course. Terrible creatures. Don't they teach you about them class?"

Cassie shook her head. "Dementors are supposed to be extinct. I don't know why it's here. I don't know why it's after me!"

"Do you know about the Patronus charm?"

"I've heard of it. They don't teach it."

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Of course not. Blasted fools."

"How did you get away from the Dementor?" Remus asked.

Cassie shifted. "I used a fire spell and set his cloak on fire. Then I ran like hell."

"When you use the Patronus charm; wait, do you know the words?"

"_Expecto Patronum._" She said.

"Good." Remus moved closer to the edge of the painting. "When you cast it, you have to think of one of your happiest memories."

"That's it?" Cassie frowned.

"It's harder than it looks. It took Harry nearly a quarter of a school year to learn it. When you summon the memory, you have to lose yourself in it. Let it fill every corner of your mind; don't think of anything else." Remus' words were rushed.

His tone made Cassie grow alarmed. She shifted nervously and her eyes darted from side to side.

"Miss Malfoy." Remus said firmly.

"I need to get to lunch." She said. She could feel James on the outskirts of her mind.

"_Practice_, Miss Malfoy." He said firmly. "And come to me if you need any help."

Cassie rushed off. She was confused by this man; he was kind, but also so urgent for her to listen to him.

No longer distracted by the odd man in the painting, Cassie could feel the nauseous feeling of the Dementor's affect creeping back into her stomach. Her body was still weak; her muscles shook. She didn't realize that her face was pale and she looked terrified.

"Cassie."

She jerked in surprise as Rose appeared in front of her. She stumbled back a step. Rose grabbed her wrist, pulling her back onto her feet. She was frowning at Cassie.

"What's wrong?"

Cassie clung to her arm. "Dementor." She whispered.

Rose stiffened and her frown deepened. "Cassie, they're extinct."

"No!" Cassie was desperate. "Please, you have to believe me. It was here! On school grounds!" She shook Rose's arm. "You have to help me practice the Patronus charm."

"The library." Rose started walking, pulling Cassie with her. "We'll skip lunch."

* * *

><p>Cassie ate three chocolate bars as Rose dug through books in the library. She had seen Hugo in the hallway and demanded that he give her some chocolate. Remus Lupin was right – it helped.<p>

"Cassie." Rose said. "Listen to this." She had a newspaper spread in front of her. "_Dementors were never specifically proclaimed extinct. They were removed from Ministry affairs and no one has addressed the topic of Dementors since._"

"That's unhelpful." Cassie muttered.

"For once, I don't think that research will help." Rose shut the book. "Should we practice the Patronus?" She looked distracted.

"What's wrong?" Cassie asked at once.

Rose twirled her wand between her fingers. "It's just, this is getting serious, Cassie. You nearly _died _a few weeks ago and now there's a _Dementor _at Hogwarts! Maybe we should tell McGona-."

"No." Cassie interrupted firmly. "I'm seeing this through to the end. If I can learn this charm, I can ward of the Dementors. If I keep up my dueling practice, I'll have a chance against _him_."

Rose frowned. Then she stood. "Fine. Let's go practice."

Cassie followed her to an empty classroom.

"Do you know how to do this?" Rose asked once they were there.

Cassie's jaw flexed. She drew her wand. "Of course I do." Cassie drew up a memory that she thought was one of her happiest memories; the memory of when she saw the Hogwarts castle for the first time as she crossed the lake in the rickety boats. "_Expecto patronum!_"

Nothing happened.

Rose snorted. "What are you thinking about, Cassie?"

"Hogwarts during First Year."

The red head shook her head. "It can't just be any memory. It has to be the most powerful memory you have."

Cassie frowned. "I don't know what the most powerful one is."

"Something that makes you forget everything bad that's ever happened. Something that makes you feel safe. Something that you would want to relive each and every day."

Cassie lowered her wand. "I've never felt like that before." She saw quietly.

"_Try._" Rose said. "Use as many memories as you can."

"Alright." Cassie twisted her wrist and raised her wand again.

* * *

><p>At dinner that night, Cassie was in a foul mood. She sat next to James, her chin resting in her palm, pushing her food around her plate. She had had absolutely no success with the Patronus charm. Not even a wisp of an incorporeal one.<p>

All four of them were silent. James was wary of Cassie's irritable mood. Rose was still puzzling over the presence of the Dementor. Lily simply felt so awkward in the presence of so many tense emotions that she didn't utter a word.

About half way through dinner, Cassie slumped to the side. Her head banged against James' shoulder.

Everyone turned to stare at her.

She had fallen asleep.

James frowned and shifted her into a more comfortable position for the both of them. Lily was about to wake her up.

"Don't." Rose said. "She's had a hard day."

"What happened?" James asked at once.

Rose leaned forward. "There was a Dementor on school grounds." She whispered. "Cassie ran into it and she was pretty shaken up over it afterwards."

"They're extinct!" Lily said in surprise.

"Obviously they aren't." Rose snapped. "We spent almost the entire afternoon practicing the Patronus Charm and she had no luck with it."

"That's really advanced magic." James said with a frown. "Should we tell McGonagall about it?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "We _should _but Cassie said she wants to see this whole ordeal through to the end."

James fell silent. There were two very different endings to this situation. Cassie could succeed, and defeat the man. Or Cassie could be killed.


	16. Of Wolves and Chocolate

Chapter 15

* * *

><p>Cassie woke up in her own room the next morning. She looked around in confusion; she didn't remember leaving the Great Hall.<p>

"You fell asleep at the table." Lily said from the bathroom. "We had to get James to carry you up here."

Cassie rubbed her forehead. "Did anything embarrassing happen?"

"You fell into James, but that's about it." Lily smiled. "By the way, he looked as if he was going to explode when Rose said you were attacked by a Dementor."

"Oh, Merlin." Cassie groaned and fell back onto her bed. "He's going to kill me."

Lily threw some clothes at her. "Get dressed. You might as well talk to him early in the morning. It takes him a few hours to wake up."

Cassie pulled on the jeans, the t-shirt and the tall brown boots. She let Lily braid her hair straight down her back. She tucked her wand into her back pocket.

"I'll see you later." She called as she left the room.

Cassie ducked out of the portrait hole and began to walk leisurely down the corridor. She stretched, giving herself time to wake up. After speaking with Hugo for a little while, helping Albus carry a pile of books down to the dungeon, and making friendly small talk with three seven year girls near the greenhouses, Cassie decided it was time to find James.

She had just started to reach out towards the bond when she felt the horribly familiar sense of cold pricking at her heart like tiny needles. She whirled in a full circle, her wand at the ready, but there was no Dementor anywhere in sight. She sighed in relief.

A moment later, the cold worsened and she felt a sudden stab of pain in her mind.

She realized that it was not _her _pain and chill she was feeling. It was James'.

_James! _She shouted through the bond. Her mind raced ahead and pinpointed exactly where he was.

The Dementor was in the school.

She ran faster than she had ever run before, streaking past the Potions professor and shouting at a small cluster of second years who blocked a staircase. She half fell, half ran down the stairs, skipping the last four steps before careening down the corridors again.

She was just around the corner. She grabbed the smooth surface of the wall and swung around the corner.

Cassie's eyes sparked with rage as she took in the scene before her.

A Dementor was leaning over James, its black cloak whipping in the wind and the temperature of the area dropping drastically.

James' eyes met hers from around the Dementor.

In that split moment, Cassie remembered something she had forgotten.

* * *

><p><em>She and James had been four years old. It was the summer before Cassie's parents had decided to move to France to get away from their chaotic public life in England.<em>

_The scent of grass and flowers filled the air. The sun beat down on them, but they hardly noticed. James had found Cassie crying in the middle of the field._

"_Why are you crying?" He had asked. "Does your stomach hurt?"_

"_We are leaving." She had nearly shouted in her innocent child's voice. "We're going to France. I don't know when we'll be back."_

_James had held out his pinky. "I promise you I'll still be here when you get back. And when we're grown up, we'll get married and you won't have to worry about leaving home again. I'll be your home."_

_Cassie had linked her tiny finger with his. Her tears had stopped and she found herself smiling._

* * *

><p>That was it. Cassie realized. That was her memory. She let it fill her mind and grab hold of her.<p>

"_Expecto Patronum!_" Cassie shouted. Fierce rage raced through her veins like splinters of ice at the same moment that light filled happiness crept through her steadily.

The great silver creature that erupted into the empty space between Cassie and the Dementor was blindingly bright. It took the form of a lean wolf. The fur on its back stood straight up. Wisps of light whipped around it as it bared it teeth and leapt at the shadowy form of the Dementor. The Dementor shrieked and whirled to face the Patronus. James collapsed onto the floor behind it.

"Get back!" Cassie shouted. The Patronus crouched.

The Dementor shrieked as it shied away Cassie's Patronus.

Cassie moved around the Dementor to stand in front of James. The Patronus slunk in a circle to remain in front of her. The Dementor spun in the air as not to turn its back on the wolf. Cassie didn't break her gaze from the Dementor.

"I said get _back_!" She roared.

The wolf snarled and leapt up at the Dementor. The former guard of Azkaban screeched. Then the Dementor turned and disappeared down the hallway.

Cassie dropped to James' side. She found half of a chocolate bar in her pocket and shoved it into his hand.

"Eat it." She said as she helped him to sit up. She moved to slide one of her legs behind James so that he had some support. "It helps."

He was shaking, just as she had.

"That was a Dementor?" He asked in a shaking voice.

"Yes. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about it. You had to hear it from Rose." Cassie ran a hand over her face. "It must have been terrible."

"It wasn't that bad." He somehow managed to smile weakly. "But she said you couldn't produce a Patronus." He was looking at the smoky wolf that sat on its haunches next to them.

Cassie looked at the Patronus. A blush rose in her cheeks. "I couldn't."

"What was your memory?" He asked in a voice that was still weak.

Cassie's cheek grew even more flushed. "Do you remember when we was four and I moved to France? We made a pinky promise."

James nodded. "I didn't see you again until we were eight."

Cassie didn't say anything more.

James sat up on his own. "_That _was your memory?"

"You said you would always be there for me!" She argued in her defense.

"Help me up?" He asked.

Cassie stood, pulling him to his feet. "How do I get rid of the Patronus?" She looked down at the wolf.

"I don't know. I don't even know how to cast one." James slung an arm around Cassie's shoulder and leaning into her.

Cassie scowled at him. "I sprinted for about five minutes after I was attacked and you can't even stand on your own."

"Hey, I wasn't exactly expecting that thing to come barreling around the corner at me."

"You think I was expecting it to come after me? I thought they were extinct!" She glared up at him.

James kept Cassie tucked against his side. He made the novice mistake of not controlling his thoughts.

Cassie pushed away from him suddenly. "You're such an ass!" She was laughing though.

James' face grew hot. "What? Can't I fake being injured?"

"You scared me! Don't act like you're hurt just to touch me! That's bloody weird."

James shrugged. "Whatever. Not my fault you caught me."

"Actually, it is." Cassie said with a frown. "You can't control your own thoughts."

James reached out again and pulled Cassie close to him. "Can I ask you something, Cass?"

"Not another ten minutes of seriousness, right?"

"How far is too far? When will you decide that you can't handle this?"

Cassie sighed. "If I get killed, it's gone too far."

James halted, pulling her to a stop next to him. "You can't be serious."

When she didn't answer, he turned her to look at him. He shook her slightly.

"You're sixteen, Cassie. If you can't handle this, it isn't a bad thing! He's a grown man and a Death Eater and you're just one person." He said in a panicked tone.

"James, I'll be fine."

"Please don't do this." James suddenly said. "Please, can we just tell McGonagall about this? _Please_, Cassie."

"I need to do this. I need to prove that I'm more than just a little girl."

"You don't have to prove anything to anyone!" James grabbed her face roughly. "You're strong and you're brave and you're powerful. You don't have to prove that. You aren't a child anymore and everyone can see that!"

"You called me a coward-."

James interrupted her. "I was pissed off because you were ignoring me and not addressing the itsy bitsy problem of _our _relationship. I did it to force you to do something. We both know that you aren't a coward."

"But I am." Cassie said. "Don't you get that? I run away from every problem that blocks my path. I always rely on other people to help me. I can't keep doing that."

"_Please_, don't do this Cassie." _What am I supposed to do if you get killed?_

"You go on." Cassie whispered.

His rage swamped both of their minds. The grip he had on her shoulders became painful. Cassie tried desperately to push him out of her mind, but he kept filling it again.

_You are the dumbest person I have ever met._

He turned to walk away from her.

"James!" She grabbed his wrist. "Stop."

"Why? So you can tell me more lies? So you can cry again and make me forgive you?" He knew that that hurt her.

"No, so that I can tell you that I sent an owl to my father. I told him everything. I told him that I didn't want anyone involved. I told him that I was going to the Shrieking Shack tonight." Cassie let go of his wrist. "I just thought you'd want to know."

This time, she walked away from him.


	17. Ferocity

Chapter 16

* * *

><p>Cassie stood at the edge of the Astronomy Tower. She had her hair brushed into a high ponytail and she wore the most descreet clothing she owned. She had her broom in one hand; her wand was in the other.<p>

Rose and Lily stood next to her.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Cassie?" Lily asked in a nervous voice. "This seems like a kind of dumb idea."

Cassie swung a leg over her broom. "It's a really dumb idea."

"Cassie!" James burst onto the balcony.

She turned to look at him. "Fancy seeing you here."

"You're going to get yourself killed."

"No I won't."

"Yes!" He shouted. "You are. I'm not going to let you-."

"If I'm not back in twenty minutes, tell McGonagall." She kicked off and shot through the air.

"Cassie!" James shouted. _If you get yourself killed, I'm never speaking to you again!_

* * *

><p>Cassie landed lightly in the grass in front of the Shrieking Shack. She looked up at the eerie building. It was rumored that no window or door would give you entry. All she had to do was make her own door.<p>

Cassie raised her wand and whispered a blasting charm. A hole appeared in the side of the house. Cassie walked straight through it, into the house.

She walked with her wand pointed in front of her. She walked with careful steps across the shards of glass and the destroyed furniture. She stared at the floor, looking for any signs of footprints in the thick carpet of dust.

She walked from one room to the next, cursing when the floor creaked beneath her weight.

Cassie was at a lost when she stood at the base of the stairs. She had searched the entire house twice over.

There was nobody here.

"Fuck!" Cassie shouted, kicking one of the ratty old chairs in the living room. "Where the _fuck _are you, Lucius Malfoy?"

_Cassie. _James' voice echoed in her head. _You've got five minutes left._

Cassie resisted the urge to scream. She leapt onto her broom and shot out of the house through the ragged hole she had torn in the wall.

She circled the Shrieking Shack once.

Twice.

Three times.

And then she turned back towards Hogwarts.

She hadn't noticed the ragged blonde man hidden in the shadows of the forest just a few hundred feet down the hill from the Shrieking Shack.

* * *

><p>Cassie landed nimbly on the balcony of the Astronomy Tower. Her sharp features were made even sharper by the anger than twisted them. James looked at her nervously, trying to find out if she was injured or now.<p>

"Well?" Lily asked after Cassie had stood tensely in front of them for several long moments.

"He wasn't there." Cassie murmured. "He wasn't _fucking _there!" She shouted, turning and letting loose her brimming magic. Gold light exploded away from her in a blasting arc. It crashed against the metal of the Astronomy Tower. It did the building no harm; it only ricocheted inside the tower.

James rushed to her side and pulled her against his chest. She was furious and seething with anger, but there was despair somewhere in that storm of emotions that only James could feel.

"Shouldn't we be happy that he wasn't there?" Rose asked hesitantly.

"No!" Cassie cried. "He is _always _threatening and attacking _me. _He has no right to not be there when I want him to be. I'm conveniently always in school, right where he wants me. I don't even know who the hell this person is!"

Lily tugged Cassie out of James' arms. "Calm down, Cassie. It's going to be alright. We'll find out who he is and we'll crush him."

Cassie stared at Lily. The fear and frustration in her eyes was suddenly replaced by a ferocity that frightened Lily and James.


	18. Infiltrate

Chapter 17

* * *

><p>Cassie whistled as she flew through the air. The wind tore at her long braided hair and her tight Quidditch uniform. She dodged a careening Bludger.<p>

"Malfoy!" A shout from her teammate made her twist in the air.

She caught the Quaffle easily. She rocketed up above the blue uniformed Ravenclaws. She nearly crashed into James.

"What the fuck, Potter?" She snapped as she somersaulted over in the air.

"Sorry. Just observing." He called as she shot by him.

Cassie pushed the front of her broom down and dove down. She spiraled towards the ground, dodging other players. She pulled up sharply and flew almost vertically towards the bottom of one of hooped goalposts. She threw the Quaffle as hard as she could.

Cormac just barely missed it. It skimmed his fingertips as it shot by him.

The large crowd of Gryffindors exploded in cheers. Cassie grinned as she spiraled back towards her teammates.

"And number 3, Cassie Malfoy has made another goal!" Crowed the announcer. "That puts Gryffindor ahead by thirty points. James Potter has better get the Snitch quickly before his best Chaser loses her stamina. She's been playing harder than usual all game and that's saying a lot for our Malfoy."

Cassie ground her teeth together. She clapped one of her fellow Chasers on the shoulder while saying to him. "Keep away for four minutes. I have to talk to the captain."

He nodded to her and she streaked up into the air to circle James.

"How much longer can you go?" He called to her.

"Maybe an hour." She replied. "But try to hurry up, the others are growing weary."

"Good luck!"

She smirked. "You're the one who needs it." She glanced down at the players before banking and diving down to intercept the Quaffle.

"A great play by Cassie!" The announcer shouted. "But what's this? It looked like Gryffindor's Beater, Wood, _purposely _let that Bludger get by him! It's heading straight towards Cassie!"

Cassie shouted in pain as the Bludger struck the left side of her rib cage. She somersaulted and lost her precarious balance on her broom. She slid off, still keeping a hold of the Quaffle. She was hanging on my only the fingertips of her left hand.

Far ahead, James was distracted from his search for the Snitch as Cassie hung from her broom. _Cassie!_

_No! _She snapped at him. _Get the fucking Snitch! I'm gonna fucking kill Wood._

Cassie threw the Quaffle to one of her other Chasers as they passed, shouting: "Go! Score! I'm fine!"

The Chasers all streaked by her.

Cassie looked up at her slipping fingers. She clenched her teeth together. Her left shoulder still pained her, and now as all her weight was straining it, she felt as if she might dislocate it. She swung her right arm up, grabbed her broomstick, and released it with her left hand.

"Looks like Potter's going for the Snitch!" The announcer shouted. "And Gryffindor's playing keep away with the Quaffle. Cassie looks like she's still having a bit of trouble with her injured arm from a few weeks back."

Cassie pulled herself up with only her right arm. Her muscle shook but she was able to pull herself high enough for her left leg to latch onto the broom. She somersaulted, letting the rest of her body fall into place.

She straightened and looked for the Quaffle and for James. The Quaffle was in a Gryffindor's hand. James was streaking towards the ground. Suddenly, he jerked upwards, rasing his right hand.

"And Potter caught the Snitch!"

* * *

><p>When the Gryffindor team landed, Cassie landed hard in front of Wood.<p>

"What the bloody hell was that?" She shouted, jabbing the end of her broom into his chest. "You think it's funny to drag personal grudges onto the blasted Pitch?"

He glared at her. "I don't _like _you, Malfoy."

"I don't fucking like you either! But that doesn't mean I don't trust you to play the game right and keep the Bludger away from me when I'm in the middle of a play!"

James grabbed Cassie's shoulder and jerked her away from Wood. _Leave it. _"You pull something like that again, Brad, and you're off the team."

Wood looked enraged. "You're only sticking up for her because you're fucking."

James looked as if he was going to leap on Wood. Thin whips of gold magic snapped around Cassie. _Control yourself, Cass. _James murmured. "No, I'm sticking up for the _team _because you're dragging us all down. You screw around during practice and you pull ridiculous shit like this during games. If we had lost this game because of that little stunt, we'd have lost our shot at the House Cup!"

"Fucking whipped pussy."

This time, James did punch Wood. His fist connected with Wood's strong jaw. Wood sprawled backwards, surprised by the attack.

"James!" Cassie lunged forward to grab his shoulders and jerk him back. "Leave him." The others didn't hear the rest of her sentence: _to me._

Wood smirked from his place on the ground. "Yeah, listen to the bit-."

Cassie reached down and hauled Wood to his feet by the collar of his uniform. Her pale eyes snapped and she hissed so low that only he could hear. "You know what I can do, Wood. You know what my _name _alone could do. You say anything bad about me or James again, I'll make sure you have no future in Quidditch or the Ministry and your face will be so badly bruised not even your mother will recognize you." She twisted one of her feet around his ankles and shoved him to the ground again.

Cassie turned, spinning her broom up onto her shoulders. She stalked off of the pitch and into the locker rooms.

James followed her. He found her in only a thin tank top and the tight shorts she wore under her breeches. She was brushing out her long hair.

"You should have ignored him." James said.

"We both should have ignored him." She replied sharply.

"Hey." He said, sitting on the bench a few feet away from her. "We won, you should be happy."

Cassie glared at him. She pulled her tank top over her head without thinking.

He spun around uncomfortably. _We aren't kids anymore. You should probably stop doing that._

_Get your mind out of the gutter. _She snapped. "Ow." She hissed.

"What is it?" He started to turn around.

"Nothing." She hurriedly pulled a t-shirt over her head, hiding the large bruise from him. She'd get Madam Pomfrey to look at it later. "Just a stiff arm. I overextended a bit on the last throw."

James sighed. "You did well out there, considering…"

"Yeah." Cassie swung her practice bag over her shoulder. "Thanks."

* * *

><p>Cassie was running around the outside of the large castle. Her muscles protested, her lungs burner, and her heart thundered in her chest. Her ponytail swung back and forth. She was running to try to escape the troubles of her life.<p>

Little did she know that she was running right into the biggest trouble in her life.

"Cassiopeia Malfoy." The voice slid over her like oil.

Cassie screamed when she saw the long white hair of her worst nightmare. She tried to leap away from him, her ankles crossed and she sprawled onto the ground. She rolled onto her feet as swiftly as she could. She reached to the pocket she didn't have.

She didn't have her wand.

She didn't have her _fucking _wand.

The man leered down at her.

"Hello, _granddaughter._" He leered, showing yellowed teeth. "How are you today? That was a rather nice game of Quidditch you played. Looks like you inherited your father's skills."

Cassie crouched on the ground, watching him warily.

"But I'm not here to compliment you."

Merlin, she _hated _his voice. It made her insides squirm. "So what are you here for?"

"To rid the world or one less unworthy witch." He raised a black wand that had a ragged end. "_Crucio._"

Cassie didn't even have time to move a muscle.

The pain consumed her, swamping her mind and flooding every part of her body. It was worse than anything she had ever felt. She thought she might be screaming. She thought she might be dying. Knives cut her. Arrows pierced her. Hot pokers stabbed her.

She lay gasping with her face pressed against the ground. The pain resided but the effects remained. Taking a breath hurt. Opening her eyes hurt. Looking up at the man hurt.

* * *

><p>James flipped Rose's book shut.<p>

"Hey!" She cried, glaring up at him.

"We've got a problem." He slammed a yellowed sheet of paper onto the table in front of her. He pointed to a spot just beyond the Greenhouses.

A spot labeled _Cassiopeia Malfoy _was pressed against the wall of the school. _Lucius Malfoy _stood in front of her.

"Fuck!" Rose shouted. "Oi, Lily! Come on!"

* * *

><p>After five rounds of the Cruciatus, Cassie could no longer scream. She lay sweating on the ground and sobbing. The man stood over her.<p>

"You are weaker than I ever imagined."

"I don't even know who you are." She wheezed.

"Where's that oh, so powerful Old Magic that you inherited now? Too weak to actually use them?" He raised his wand again.

Cassie's back arched and she twisted under the force of the agony. She tried her hardest to bear the pain. She needed her wand.

_James! _She cried not for the first time.

"Who are you?" She cried.

"Can't you guess?"

"Lucius." She whispered.

His gray eyes, that looked so much like her father's, widened in mock surprise. "So you're not a complete idiot."

"But you're in… Azkaban…" Her voice broke.

"Clearly I'm not." He smirked. "Don't you know how easy it is to bribe one cook and slip Polyjuice Potion to another spineless, bribed person?"


	19. Trickster

Chapter 18

* * *

><p>Cassie's head swam. <em>Polujuice Potion? Bribery? <em>Why hadn't they thought of that?

"You're my grandfather." She said. Her voice sounded distant.

He raised his wand and she recoiled into the cold stone wall of the school behind her. His laugh was harsh.

_James. _In any normal circumstance, she would have despised herself for the whimper in her voice.

_Cassie._

Nothing had ever sounded so sweet. That one word spoken by his voice gave her strength she had nearly forgotten she possessed.

Gold light flashed in front of Cassie, filling the empty air between her and Lucius Malfoy. It did not touch him, but it caused him to reel back. The terror in his eyes was obvious.

Cassie regained the confidence that made her so famous at school. She smirked at him. "So you've heard the stories? All those crazed Death Eaters who used the power to harm to torture. You're as spineless as I expected."

"Spineless?" He was raising his wand.

Gold light lashed out at his wrist, but still it did not touch his skin. It caused him to drop his wand though. Cassie leapt through the whips and flashes of gold and scooped it off the ground.

She pointed the wand at him. The wood was cold and smooth beneath her fingers. The end was jagged, as if it had been snapped. There was a charged hum of magic beneath her fingertips.

_Cassie. This isn't a fair fight. _James voice was firm and steady.

_Does he deserve a fair fight?_

_ Even the most immoral of people deserve a fair fight._

Cassie threw the black wand to Lucius Malfoy's feet. Then she thrust out a hand, pushing a wave of gold light towards him. He scrambled to grab the wand before disappearing with a crack of apparition.

* * *

><p>James, Rose, and Lily rounded the corner of the greenhouses to see a large amount of glittering gold magic dissolve into the air.<p>

Cassie slumped against the wall at her back. She was pale and sweating and her face was haunted. Muscles along her arms and legs twitched. Her limbs shook and threatened to give way beneath her.

"Cassie!" Lily shouted, running towards her.

Cassie flinched.

"What happened?" Rose asked, going to her side as well.

"He used the Cruciatus." James heard her whisper. "He used the Cruciatus."

"Bring her to the infirmary." James said at once. "_Now_, Lily!"

For once, Lily set aside her stubborn tendencies to argue with her brother and obeyed.

* * *

><p>Madam Pomfrey looked at Cassie Malfoy with concern. She had forced the Potter siblings and Rose Weasley to leave the infirmary. This was the third time that Cassie had been in the infirmary this year.<p>

Once for fatal Dark Arts poisoning.

Once for a particularly bad Quidditch accident.

And now this.

Madam Pomfrey was more than familiar with the signs and effects of the Cruciatus Curse. She had hoped that she would never see them again.

But here was Cassie Malfoy, a girl who had always had a knack for getting into trouble, who had the tell-tale signs of the Curse.

Cassie stared straight up at the ceiling. She was sore all over. What she really wanted was a hot bath, not lights flashed in her eyes and the medi-witch taking her pulse constantly.

"Madam Pomfrey, I'm _fine._" She insisted. "I just want to take a bath and take a nap."

"Miss Malfoy, you suffered at least three extensive rounds of the Cruciatus Curse. You could be seriously affected by it."

"I could be, but I'm not." Cassie pointed out. She didn't correct the medi-witch on the number of times the Curse had been inflicted on her. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"_Miss Malfoy._"

Cassie stood, raised her arms, and twirled. "See, I'm fine."

Madam Pomfrey was slightly impressed. She had to admit that the girl was much stronger than anyone she had met before; except for maybe Roxanne Garniar. "Alright, go, but if you feel _anything _wrong you come immediately back here."

Cassie grabbed her wand from the side table and practically ran from the room. She hated the infirmary.

* * *

><p>James leapt up when the door to the infirmary opened. Cassie walked out with a smile on her face.<p>

"Everything's fine." She said lightly.

James frowned. _Cassie._

Her eyes were sharp when they met his. _James, I don't want to talk about it. _The pain was clear in her mind.

James swallowed whatever he was going to say.

Rose and Lily fell into step next to Cassie. James felt a block in Cassie's mind; she was hiding something from him and it hadn't been there before Lucius attacked her.

* * *

><p>"<em>Polyjuice <em>potion?" Rose exclaimed. "_That's _what the great Lucius Malfoy used to escape prison?"

"And his money." Cassie said dryly. She sat across from Rose in the library, with her feet propped up on the table and her chair tilted back.

Rose was chewing on the end of her quill. "And he has his fake petitioning for early release to cause an upset in the media. That's actually simplistically genius."

Cassie frowned. "What do you mean?"

"If you were to tell _anyone _that Lucius Malfoy was the one attacking you, they wouldn't believe you."

Cassie tilted her chair farther back. "All they would have to do is check on the prisoner in Azkaban."

"It isn't that simple, Cass."

"It never is, is it?" She asked with a sigh.

"No." Rose said sadly. "It isn't."

* * *

><p>"Do you think they'll owl my parents?"<p>

James and Cassie were sitting at a small corner table in the common room with their books open and unread before them.

James looked up at her. Her face was split by lights and shadows cast by the flickering firelight and her expression was somber. She had changed into her most comfortable pair of sweatpants and tank top. Her hair hung loose and slightly wild about her shoulders.

"They should." He said in response. "They've been unusually lax about this entire thing. No one's asked you about the poison or the… this."

She twisted her quill nervously between her fingers. James noticed that they trembled slightly. "Do you think he's bribed any-?"

"No." James interrupted her. "If they could be bribed by one Death Eater, we wouldn't have survived the Second War."

She nodded.

James reached across the table still her fluttering hands. She looked at him in surprise.

"It's going to be alright, Cassie." He said softly.

There were tears in her eyes. _It hurt so much. _"He didn't even hesitate." She cleared her throat. "I'm his _granddaughter. _It shouldn't be possible for one to be so cruel to someone related to them."

He squeezed her hands. "Don't think about that. Just think about what he's done to you. That's who he really is; cruel and malicious. Someone who has an agreement with Dementors."

Cassie nodded.

"And if that isn't enough." James hesitated ever so slightly. "Think about what he's done to me."

Cassie nodded again.

* * *

><p>Cassie was on high alert.<p>

Lily noticed the way her eyes roamed and the way her hand was always on her wand. She put a hand on Cassie's shoulder and smiled. "He wouldn't dare do anything in such a crowded place."

Cassie knew that she was right. Hogsmeade was packed with students, mainly girls, who were desperate to find the right New Year's dress for the ball. Lucius may be insane, but he wasn't _that _insane.

Their boots made small crunching noises against the thin layer of snow over the ground. Large flakes spiraled through the air. The air was smudged by puffs of warm breath.

Cassie relaxed slightly and followed Lily and Rose into a small store.

She had been right: Bradley Wood had asked Lily, but she had said no. Lily refused to have anything to do with someone who purposely tried to sabotage and hurt Cassie.

"_We'll just go without dates." Lily had said when she told Cassie. "You don't have a date, right?"_

_Cassie had only raised her brows and smirked._

Cassie ran her fingers over the smooth material of the dresses with a small smile on her face. She could hear Rose and Lily from across the small store, chatting loudly and pulling dress after dress off the rack.

A dress caught Cassie's eye and she made a beeline to it. When she tried it on, she couldn't imagine anything fitting better.

"I found it!" She called to Rose and Lily as she shimmied out of the dress.

"Can we see it?" Rose asked.

Cassie stepped out, carrying the dress in the black garment bag. "No." She said with a grin. "It has to be a surprise."

Lily shook her head. "I hate when you do that."

"Drama queen." Rose agreed.

Cassie rolled her eyes as she went to the counter to pay for the dress.

"You have dozen of dresses." Lily said as they walked down the street with their bags. "Why don't you just wear one of those?"

"A dress for every occasion. Each one has its memories." Cassie shrugged. "And it's no fun to wear the same dresses over and over."

Rose saw Cormac down the street. "I'm gonna go, guys." She said with a smile. "I'll catch up with you later."

Lily and Cassie watched her hurry over to him.

"She's had a crush on him since _fourth _year." Lily said. "How is that even possible?"

"I have no idea." Cassie murmered. "Hey, I have to get my mum something for Christmas. I'll see you at lunch?"

Lily nodded. "I'll bring your dress up to the dorms."

Cassie raised a brow. "No peeking."

Lily grinned and took the bag, but she watched Cassie's back with concern as she walked away from her.

* * *

><p>Cassie was pleased with her purchase. An extremely old book that traced the heritage of Old Magics and their origins and a gold necklace with a perfectly clear sapphire pendant in the shape of a teardrop. She whistled as she exited the store, but the tune trailed off.<p>

She must have spent more time in there than she realized; there were only a handful of people left in the streets and none of them were students.

Nervous panic made Cassie practically run towards Hogwarts. She drew her wand from under her cloak, holding in tightly in her fist to reassure herself that she still had it. That she wasn't defenseless.

The heavy cloud of foreboding hanging over head was not for nothing.

A sudden flash of magic and the force of a small car sent Cassie tumbling off the path and into a small drift of snow. Her cry of surprise was muffled by the cold wetness filling her mouth. She left the bag on the ground as she rose shakily on her feet.

_James! _She cried, reaching for him through the bond.

Lucius already had his wand raised. "_Cruc-._"

_No! _Cassie didn't want this again! She wouldn't let it happen again! "_Alarte ascendare!_" She shouted.

The man shot up nearly a hundred feet into the air before crashing back into the ground. Cassie heard a snap. Something had broken.

But he still rose to face her again. A blast of dark red light streaked towards her. She threw up a protection shield but his magic was too strong. She dodged. It struck her painfully in the hip instead of the heart. She fell heavily onto the ground with a cry of pain.

"You're no match for a Death Eater." He snarled.

Cassie decided to improvise. She cast a silent_ Deprimo _spell, which was not usually used against human opponents. Still, the man was forced onto his knees by the immense pressure on his shoulders.

He cast a spell that struck Cassie in the neck. Cassie felt the pain like a knife slicing down to her collarbone. Another blow to her mouth. Cassie slumped forward, sobbing as the pain shot through her.

"_Glacius._" She whispered. _James._

Ice collected around his ankles and began to creep up his legs.

"_Incendio._" He snapped, melting it in an instant.

Lucius Malfoy leered down at his granddaughter. She was bleeding heavily from the split lip and the deep wound down her neck.

"Your blood is impure."

"You're _fucking_ insane." She wheezed. _James!_

Warmth flooded her mind as James' presence strengthened suddenly. With a loud crack, he was standing in front of her, blocking her view of Lucius. The surprise of James' sudden appearance gave Cassie the split opening she needed.

She curved around James and shouted. "_Stupefy!_"

Lucius fell onto the ground, unconscious. James turned around to check on Cassie, but she had toppled forward into the snow in a faint.

* * *

><p>James was there when Cassie woke up in the infirmary. Her neck was bandaged. She looked up at him and smiled.<p>

He frowned. "Why are you smiling?"

"Because he barely got me. I'm not dead and he thinks I'm an awful dueler." She laughed. "The trick worked."

James laughed. "You scared me. The wound hit the artery in your neck."

She interrupted whatever he was going to say. "I know. I kept myself alive."

James dropped his head into his hands. "I thought-."

Cassie put a hand on his head. "I know what I'm doing, Potter."

"No, you don't."

"I can still act like I do." She smirked. "By the way, how did you apparate out of the Hogwarts?"

He smiled and said mysteriously: "I'm Harry Potter's firstborn son."

* * *

><p>Roxanne looked down at Cassie. James was asleep in the chair next to her bed. Cassie, however, was awake.<p>

"Hey, mum."

Roxanne's blue eyes were full of emotions that Cassie couldn't decipher. She sat next on the edge of the bed and picked up Cassie's hand.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Cassie felt her mother's magic probe the wound on her neck. Cassie's magic pushed her away.

"I'm fine, mum."

"Your father showed me the letter you sent."

Cassie tensed.

"Whatever you're trying to prove, you don't have to."

Cassie bristled. "I'm not trying to _prove _anything! I'm being serious!"

"So am I." Roxanne said, her voice becoming harder to understand. "You're putting yourself in unnecessary danger. Whoever you're covering for, whatever the hell is going on, just stop it."

Cassie was off the bed in an instant. She was pulsing with so much anger that it woke James up. He stared at the scene in front of him and then pretended like he was still asleep.

"Why don't you believe me? Why doesn't anyone believe me?" Cassie burst. "It's _him._ You know that he has a reason to do this! He hates you and he hates me because of my blood. Yet no one even thinks for a minute that _I _might be the one who was right for once!"

Roxanne's bright eyes flashed. "You're a _child. _That's why no one believes you! You're sixteen for Merlin's sake!"

"When you were sixteen, you were in the bloody Order!" Cassie shouted. "_You _made something of yourself at my age. Why can't I do the same?"

"Because you're parents aren't dead! Because you've lived a comfortable life! Because you know no hardship!"

Cassie recoiled. "You think because I'm not you that I can't be strong?"

Roxanne sighed. "That isn't what I mean at all! You _know _what I mean, Cassie. You're young. You're reckless. You-."

"And I'm powerful and I'm brave and I'm strong." Cassie said. "You see me as a little girl, but when are you going to see that I'm not? I'm not a child anymore!"

Roxanne sat down with a sigh. "Merlin, you don't realize how similar we are."

"We are _not _the same person." Cassie scowled. "You just pointed that out a minute ago."

"You're wrong. We are both Garniar, we're both stubborn, we both love with all our hearts. You and I are both too brave for our own good." Roxanne ran a hand through her hair. "And we both get into a dangerous amount of trouble."

Cassie felt a jolt of cold fear travel up her spine. "You're going to pull me out of school, aren't you?" She thought of James at once. "Please don't do that! You can't!" She was desperate.

Roxanne smiled slightly. "No, we won't, but you have to take precautions."

"Precautions?" Cassie didn't like the sound of that.

Her mother's eyes turned to ice. "You aren't allowed outside of the school for anything other than Quidditch. No trips to Hogsmeade. No lunch on the lakeshore. _Stay inside._"

Cassie was about to fight again, but she paused to think. It wasn't as if she was actually going to follow these directions. She had never had any intention of following unfair rules her entire life, she wasn't going to start now. She clenched her jaw together.

"Fine."

Roxanne stood and gripped Cassie's shoulder, careful to avoid the wound. "Thank you, Cassie."

"You can't trap me forever."

"I know, honey." Roxanne went onto her toes to kiss Cassie's forehead before patting her cheek and walking out of the infirmary.

Cassie watched her go. "Thank you for not saying anything, James."

"You knew that I was awake?" He asked, opening his eyes.

"Obviously." She didn't mention how she knew.

"Are you going to listen to her?"

_No. _"Of course." _She's right beyond the door, listening._

_Bad Cassie._


	20. Messy

Chapter 19

* * *

><p>"Tell mum that I'll floo." James said to Albus in the Great Hall.<p>

"What excuse do you want me to use? She's going to be mad that you're missing the holidays." Albus shifted his back on his back.

"I'll think of something." Lily said as she walked by. "Come on." She tugged on Albus' jacket sleeve and dragged him away.

"Cassie, are you _sure _you'll be alright here alone?" Rose asked for what seemed to be the thousandth time.

"James is with me." Cassie said wearily. "Besides, I don't want him leaving the school grounds. I don't want my parents getting involved."

Rose hugged her. "At least try to be careful."

"Alright." Cassie hugged her back before pushing her away lightly.

James stood by her side with his hands in his pockets as they watched them leave. "What did you tell your parents?"

Cassie tugged on a piece of her long hair. "Dunno yet. I'll send them an owl when I figure it out."

James snorted. "That's decent of you."

Cassie glared up at him before turning and walking away.

* * *

><p>It was the Christmas holiday and the school had drained of activity. There were only a handful of students left and none of those students stayed because of a reason as serious as Cassie's.<p>

She had a week and a half to end this.

Winter holiday had been shifted this year so that the students would be in school for the New Year's ball.

For the first time in his life, James had put his name down on the list of students remaining in Hogwarts. He was anxious for Cassie and refused to leave, despite her argument. She had wanted him gone in case Lucius or Lucius' Dementor targeted him.

He had stubbornly denied her request.

* * *

><p>"Cassie, what the hell is this?" James stormed into her room, holding a crumpled sheet of paper. The edges were burnt.<p>

She looked up from the book she was reading. "Oh." She looked back down. "You weren't supposed to see that."

He threw the paper at her. "These are _plans _to lure Lucius out! Do you have a death wish?"

She sighed and shut her book. "Look, I don't want to wait around for him to come attacking me. That could cost us weeks of stress. I'd rather just get this over with. I'm ready for him this time."

"You're so infuriating!" He shouted. "You're just giving me more to worry about!"

Cassie reached for his mind. She was able to soothe him slightly. "Calm down, Jamie. I won't go looking for trouble."

"Who are you kidding? You _always _look for trouble. For once, can't you just wait for it to come to you?"

"No."

James fell face first onto her bed. She moved her legs to avoid touching him. She was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt but her room had a powerful warming spell on it.

"You're going to be the death of me." He mumbled.

She grinned. "Better me than anyone else."

He turned his head to look at her. "I want to die peacefully in my sleep when I'm so old that I can barely remember my own name."

She snorted. "That's boring."

"How do you want to die, then?"

Cassie tipped her head back to stare at the velvet canopy above her head. "I don't know, but I don't want to grow old. It sounds terrible."

He grabbed her ankle, making her shriek. "Do you enjoy ruining moods? Don't be stupid about this. He's half insane and a Death Eater. Try to stay a step ahead of him."

Cassie kicked him off her bed. "I already am, James. C'mon, let's go play some Quidditch."

* * *

><p>For five days, Cassie kept under the radar and acted as nonchalantly as possible.<p>

For five days, James was particularly suspicious of her. She had taken to blocking him out of parts of her mind and she hardly ever mentioned the Death Eater.

* * *

><p>James woke on Christmas day to a stack of presents at the side of his bed. He grinned when he saw them and carried them into the common room.<p>

"Cassie!" He called. "Bring your gifts down."

He waited for a few minutes, but felt no response and heard no noise from her room. Frowning, he jogged up the steps and opened the door.

"Cassie?"

The room was empty.

James saw a note on her bed. He picked it up and read it in shock.

_Agreed, Cassiopeia. Bring no one – if James Potter is there, I'll make you watch me kill him. Seven o'clock. Forbidden Forest._

Ice slowed James' blood. He sprinted back to his room, grabbed the Invisibility Cloak from where it was hidden under his bed, and ran through Hogwarts.

* * *

><p>Cassie was perched on a low branch in a tall tree when Lucius Malfoy arrived in the clearing she had specified in the Forbidden Forest. Her broom leaned against the tree beside her. Cassie cast a powerful spell as she leapt out of the tree.<p>

A roaring ring of Firestorm circled both of them.

"Hello, Cassiopeia." Lucius' face was cast in an eerie light due to the flames. "I do believe your Great-Aunt, Bellatrix used that same spell trying to kill Harry Potter."

Cassie walked towards him, fierce and energized and angry. "It's obvious that she failed."

"As will you."

"I will not fail." She said stubbornly.

"We'll see about that." He sneered. "_Cruc-._"

She blocked it. "Get a new bloody curse!" She shouted before casting another spell.

He dodged it and sent a streak of something that was probably nasty at her.

"Protego Horribilis." The shield disintegrated the spell he cast. The force of it still caused her to stumble back.

For nearly ten minutes, the duel flashed back and forth between them. The fire of Cassie's first spell raged around them. Trees were shattered and blown apart by the Cruciatus Curses that had missed her. Lucius had a faceful of barely healed boils, overgrown teeth, and a swollen black eye. Neither of them truly had an upper hand.

Until Lucius disarmed Cassie.

She cried out as her wand flew to his waiting hand.

He was panting and grinning in his insanity. "You are an excellent dueler, Cassie. It's too bad you're about to die."

Something black shot from his wand, it struck her in her right thigh. She screamed, she felt more than one thing snap. Her leg could no longer hold her weight. It buckled and she crashed to the ground.

He raised his wand and uttered the word that she dreaded for weeks.

Cassie writhed in the thin layer of snow. She bit her lip to keep from screaming and tasted blood. She tried to brace her muscles for the pain. She tried to push it out. But she couldn't.

* * *

><p>James knew he was getting close when he heard the roaring and crackling of fire. Cassie had a particular habit of using fire when she dueled. James couldn't get past the ring of fire without parting it and that would give him away. He couldn't see either Cassie or Lucius through the flames, but he knew that they were there.<p>

_Cassie. _He reached towards her mind and found it blocked, as usual.

He forced his way in and he discovered what she had been hiding him from. She had been protecting him from the enormous amount of pain that came with the Cruciatus Curse.

James stumbled, clutching his head. He bit in the screams, as he knew Cassie was doing. He too tasted blood.

* * *

><p>Cassie felt James push past the block she had formed on the bond. The idea that he was feeling the same pain she was made her start to cry. She hated that she wasn't strong enough to protect him.<p>

The pain lapsed and with it, came a moment of clarity.

She could end this.

Cassie surged to her feet, hoisting her useless leg up. Lucius' surprise was written across his face.

"You were a fool to have ever pursued killing me!" She shouted. "You should have put aside your prejudices and stayed in prisoner, you heartless bastard."

The ring of fire died suddenly.

Lucius looked at the girl warily, but what else could she do? He had her wand!

Cassie was gathering her strength. She bundled it inside of her and prepared to use it.

* * *

><p>James moved towards Cassie when the ring of fire suddenly died. The invisibility cloak still hid him from her sight, but his mind was open to hers.<p>

_No, James! _She cried. _Stay back!_

James could feel the colossal amount of power welling up inside of her. He did as she commanded, wary of her and concerned. _Don't over exten-_

Gold light exploded into the clearing.

* * *

><p>Cassie had never harnessed her Old Magic like this before. It usually flowed through her body like a continuous stream. Now, she blocked and damned that stream. She forced it to collect and strengthen until it became unbearable to hold back. Her chest tightened. Her skin prickled.<p>

And Cassie released the hold she had on her power. She directed the magic that she hardly used; the dark shadowy side of the inheritance she was given from her mother.

Sparkling gold light exploded into the clearing. It flooded the clearing; it spiraled, rose and fell like the ocean. It swirled around Lucius, not touching his skin but always there and always pressing closer.

Somehow he was still able to speak through the terror that was clear in his features. "You are pathetic, still you don't use the magic to harm me!"

This was the part Cassie feared. The moment when she would have to use the Dark Arts. The moment when she would have to give in to the darkness.

She reminded herself who this man was; he was a Death Eater, a murdered, a torturer, a killer, a madman.

The gold light twisted into an arc and slashed across Lucius' chest. He cried out in pain, but he was not dead. He only stumbled back and clutched at the gash in his chest.

Not deep enough. How was that not deep enough?

Cassie ground her teeth together. She moved her hands with the movement of the magic. She moved closer to Lucius; closer than she had realized. She had to drag her right leg in the snow. The pain only sharpened her focus.

She lashed out as hard as she could with the magic.

Hot blood splattered Cassie's face. She shuddered in horror. Lucius fell to his knees in front of her, staring up at her in surprise.

Cassie recalled something James had said. _Even the most immoral of people deserve a fair fight._

Cassie looked at the man with pity. "Merry Christmas, grandfather." He toppled back into the snow.

The gold light swirled around Cassie. It was warm and familiar against her skin. It sunk back under her flesh, dissolving into her body again.

Cassie stared at the scarlet snow around her. She was bleeding from a long curving wound down her forearm; she couldn't remember when that had happened, but the warm blood dripped down her fingertips and into the snow. The wound in her leg was beyond pain; only distant numbness.

Blood seeped from the wounds in Lucius' chest. His shirt was torn and his skin was laid open. Cassie fell onto her knees next to him.

She had _killed _someone. She had taken his _life_ away from him. Who was she to do that? She had no right!

* * *

><p>James watched without horror and without fear as Cassie's magic lashed out at Lucius Malfoy. Cassie radiated confidence; a reckless kind of confidence that was contagious. She pulsed with power; James felt it through the bond.<p>

But when Cassie fell to her knees, that confidence disappeared. She was no longer power incarnate; she was just a confused young person caught up in something she didn't shouldn't have to be a part of.

James ran to Cassie when he saw her shoulders tremble. She hunched forward. James fell to the snow next to her, pulling her away from the body and against his chest.

"It's alright." He murmured. "You're safe. It's over."

"It's so _messy._" She said.

It was the shock. James swore mentally and hoisted Cassie into his arms. She was going into shock. Her eyes glazed over. She was pale and she had lost a lot of blood from the wound on her arm and the hole in her leg. Her leg was limp and twisted.

James fought back the wave of nausea.

"Tell them." He heard her whisper. "Tell them where he is. Tell them about… the Dementor."

"I will." He murmured to her. "It's alright. I'll tell them." _Just don't die. Please don't die._


	21. Open

Chapter 20

* * *

><p>Six days passed.<p>

James informed McGonagall about Lucius and the Dementor, just as Cassie had told him to do. He was in shock, just as Cassie was. Madam Pomfrey treated him after she treated Cassie.

Aurors flooded the school. Roxanne Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and several others who were the best in the Ministry. James heard that Lucius' body was taken away, but he hadn't been there to see it.

* * *

><p>On December 31st, Cassie Malfoy finally woke up. It was early in the morning, the sun had not yet risen, when she opened her eyes and stared into the inky black above her. Instinctually, she reached out with her mind. Instead of feeling James' mind, who was usually the one there for her when she woke up, she felt two minds that were intimately familiar.<p>

"Mum? Dad?" She sat up and found her wand under one of her hands. She cased a small spell and a shining light filled the small space around her.

Her father was sitting in a chair next to her small bed. Her mother was curled in his lap. She looked like a child; Cassie had forgotten how much taller her father was than her mother.

At her voice, her father jerked awake. Roxanne grabbed the front of his shirt to keep from falling onto the floor.

"You're awake!" Roxanne cried. "_Dieu_ _merci._" She leapt off of Draco's lap. "Are you alright? How does your leg feel? Are you light headed?"

Draco put a hand on her shoulder. "Give her some space, Roxanne."

"What day is it?" Cassie asked. "Why are you here?"

"We're here because you nearly _died_!" Roxanne cried. "What were you _thinking_?"

Cassie felt awful, but her temper still flared. "You didn't believe me! I told you that Lucius Malfoy was here."

Roxanne's face was pained. "I know, honey. I am so sorry! I should have listened-."

"I should have told someone." Cassie interrupted. She shifted and pain sliced up her right leg. "Bloody hell that hurt." She paled. "Is my leg-?"

"It's healed, Cass." Draco said with a smile. "You're very lucky. If it wasn't for your mother and your own magic, your leg would have been useless for the rest of your life."

Cassie tore the sheets away from her. She pulled up the hospital gown up. Her stomach rolled at the sight of the starburst shaped scar that stretched across her upper thigh.

"Your body is odd." Roxanne said with a frown. "The skin always scars. I tried to heal the scars, but your magic pushed my magic away."

Cassie laughed. "I already know that. I'll have that scar down my neck for the rest of my life."

"And the one on your forearm and the one on your leg." Roxanne said.

Cassie bent her arm and saw the smoothly curved scar that wrapped around her forearm. "Merlin, its ugly."

Roxanne raised her eyebrows. "You think that's ugly?" She stood and pulled up her tightly fitting shirt.

Cassie's stomach rolled again at the sight of the jagged scar that marred her torso. "How have I never seen that before? Where is that even from?"

"Because I don't exactly like showing it off. I got it when I was seventeen." Roxanne looked uncomfortable. "When I killed my own creepy Death Eater stalker."

Cassie was suddenly torn. The fact that her mother had killed someone when she was seventeen and the fact that she seemed to suddenly remember that she killed her _grandfather. _

Cassie's stomach rolled again. She bent over the side of the bed, grabbing for a bucket she knew was always there and vomited into it. The sight of Lucius' body filled her mind. Roxanne's hand was soft on her daughter's back.

"I killed my _grandfather._" She sobbed, turning towards Draco. "I killed your dad!"

His face was unreadable. "I haven't felt any amicable feelings for that man since I was ten years old. If anything, you did the world a favor."

Cassie felt terribly confused. "But he was your only father."

"Doesn't matter to me." Draco said with a shrug. "I'm just happy that he didn't hurt you." He smiled slightly.

"Didn't hurt her?" Roxanne cried. "Draco, her right leg was completely useless and she almost _died _multiple times!"

"Mum, I'm fine." Cassie grumbled.

"You're not fine! You got attacked by a Dementor!" Roxanne looked as if she was going to explode.

"And I learned how to make a Patronus!" Cassie raised her hands and grinned.

"You did?" Draco was the distracted parent, as he always was. "Let's see it, then!"

Cassie raised her wand and brought forth the memory, but before she could cast the spell, her mother grabbed her wand.

"No! This is _serious!_" Roxanne cried. "Please, can we just focus on what just happened?"

"Actually, I'd rather not." Cassie said, feeling queasy again. "I don't want to think about… the whole killing someone with my magic kind of thing." Another flash of sensation struck her; the splatter of scorching blood on her face and dripping down her neck. Cassie shuddered.

Roxanne frowned. "We can get the memories taken out, if you-."

Cassie was already shaking her head. "Not a chance. I'm keeping them. I need to be strong. I'll be able to handle them."

Draco and Roxanne looked at each other. "Are you sure?"

Cassie was good at locking away bad memories. "Yes." She knew that she'd have nightmares for a long time, but she would do well after a while.

There was a brief silence. Cassie waved her wand over her clothes to replace the hospital gown with jeans and a tank top.

"Oh!" Roxanne suddenly said. "We have a present for you." She picked up a wrapped package that was resting on one of the other beds. "Happy Christmas."

Cassie took it and opened it slowly. She was pushing away an oncoming headache with a bit of magic. The contents of the parcel tumbled onto her lap; she stared at them, not understanding what they meant.

Four tickets to the Quidditch World Cup, which she got every year.

A red and white Quidditch uniform with a large black 3 stitched into the back and both arms.

New gloves and new Chaser gear.

"Thanks." Cassie said politely, though she was completely and utterly baffled.

Draco grinned. "This as well." He tossed an envelope onto her lap.

She tore it open and read it over quickly. Then she let out a small scream. "They want _me_?" She cried. "The British _Internationals _want _me _as their first recruit after I graduate!" She began jumping up and down on her bed.

Madam Pomfrey came out of her office. "Miss _Malfoy!_"

Cassie stopped jumping, looking sheepish. "Yes, Madam Pomfrey?"

"It's four in the morning, you should get some rest." The medi-witch looked at her with a kind smile.

Cassie perked up a bit. "But I've had days of rest! I want to _do _something." She went to jump onto the floor.

When she landed, her right leg buckled and pain laced up to her hip. Draco caught her under the arms and lifted her back onto the bed. "You aren't recovered, Cassie." He said with a smile. "Just energetic."

"I have gifts for you in my dorm." Cassie sighed and massaged her leg a bit. "Was James here?" she asked. "And Rose and Lily, they must have gotten back by now."

Madam Pomfrey had returned to her office, so Roxanne had to explain. "Madam Pomfrey hasn't allowed any visitors. She didn't want anyone disturbing you. That doesn't mean that James didn't put up a fight, though." She smiled. "He's quite persuasive."

Cassie actually blushed. Draco looked surprised. Roxanne looked smug.

"You should get some rest though." Roxanne urged. "I'll wake you up for breakfast if you'd like."

Cassie obeyed and crawled underneath the sheets. Roxanne kissed her head.

"I have to go speak to Harry." She left the room, shutting the door lightly behind her.

Draco reached over to kiss Cassie's temple. "I was worried about you, kid."

Cassie smiled. "Everyone was, but I'm fine."

Draco's face was serious. "If you ever need to talk about it, I'll always listen. During the war-."

"I know, dad." Cassie twiddled her thumbs. "But you were forced to do that stuff, I chose to… to kill him." She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat and she pushed aside the image of blood stained snow.

"But I still know how to deal with memories you wish you didn't have." He rubbed her hair. "Get some rest."

Cassie laid down and stared up at the ceiling. At some point, her father put out the light of her wand.

Cassie fidgeted. She wanted to go to the common room. She wanted to see Rose and Lily. She wanted to see _James. _She wondered how many Aurors were still here and if the story was in the paper. She wondered if James was alright.

Her heart twisted almost painfully at the thought of him.

"Dad?" She asked in a small voice.

"Yes?"

Cassie wiped her sweaty palms on the sheets. "Can I tell you something?"

"Anything, Cassie."

She swallowed, shut her eyes briefly, and then the words tumbled from her mouth. "I'm in love with James Potter."

She heard Draco shift in his seat. He was silent.

"Daddy?" Her voice was a whisper. She hadn't called Draco Daddy since she was about seven. "I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't be." Draco's hand found hers.

"But you hate Harry and you hate James."

She heard him laugh under his breath. "I don't hate the Potters, I'm just stubborn. And you can love whoever you want."

"But if you don't approve-."

"The Malfoys have a bad habit of falling in love with the people the rest of the world says they shouldn't. I fell in love with your mother – a halfblood and a member of the Order. That didn't matter to me, but it mattered to my father and a lot of society."

Cassie frowned slightly. "But it makes sense for me to love James, we're best friends and we're always there for each other."

"Is that why you love him? Because it makes sense?"

"No!" Cassie cried. "Of course not." She paused, trying to find the right words. "I love him… because we love the same things and we hate the same things. Because he's brave when I'm weak and he's wise when I'm impulsive. Because when I'm in pain, he's there to soothe and guide me and when he's in pain, I'm his strength. Because he finishes the circle that I started. Because he's always honest to me. Because every boy I look at, I compare to him and because I am so _tired_, I am so _fucking_ tired, of trying to fight this."

Cassie took a huge breath.

Draco was silent. Then he was laughing.

Cassie scowled. "You can't _laugh _at me! This isn't a laughing matter!"

"You're right, it isn't funny."

"Then why are you laughing?" Cassie was distressed.

"Relax, Cassie." He said, still trying to contain his laughter. "You just _really _needed to get that off of your chest, didn't you?"

"Well, _yeah._ I've been putting that off for weeks because of this thing with…" There was another flash of images. She flinched.

Draco put his hand on her arm.

Within seconds, she was crying again.

"Hey. Hey." Draco pulled her off the bed and into his lap, cradling like he had when she was a child and had fallen off her broom. "Calm down. It's alright."

"No, it's not!" She gasped. "I took someone's life away from them! That isn't something that _anyone _has the right to do and I did it. I hardly hesitated!"

"If you hadn't done it, he would have killed you and I would have had to bury my only child."

Cassie sobbed harder. "But there are so many different ways I could have handled it. If I had just gone to someone and told them! Instead, I had to prove to myself that I wasn't a coward."

Draco held her tightly. He had nothing to say to it. How does a parent comfort their child who did something so brutal? How does a parent comfort their child, who killed their grandfather?

"It was so easy. Oh, Godric." Cassie leaned forward, grabbing the bucket again. There was nothing in her stomach that she could throw up.

"He would have killed you, Cassie." Draco said firmly. "You weren't his granddaughter in his eyes, you were an abomination. He would have killed you without remorse."

"Was I selfish then?"

"_No_!" Draco cried, appalled. "You were doing what you thought was right. You saved yourself, anyone would have done the same."

"I took his _life _to save myself. Should I have let him kill me?"

Draco shook Cassie slightly. "Listen to me, Cassie! He was _insane. _He would have killed you and then go on and try to kill your mother. Who knows how many other people he would have killed? And if he was caught, there was a high chance he'd be killed anyways. He was a war criminal. He did terrible things to hundreds of people. He did horrible things to _me. _He did horrible things to _you._"

"Even the most immoral of people-." Cassie began to quote James.

"My father was not immoral." Draco's voice was cold. "He had no morals. He was insane. He had completely lost who he was before."

"Am I going to be sent to Azkaban?" She asked, trembling still. "Killing someone… that's not something that goes unpunished."

"I won't let them send you to Azkaban. It was self-defense."

"Maybe I deserve it."

"_You don't._" Draco said firmly, trying desperately to get her to understand. "Azkaban is for people who kill innocent people and murder people because of anger and grudges. Azkaban is for high security criminals, not for you."

"What if this becomes some kind of sick habit?"

"It won't, Cassie. You are so much stronger than that. You have as many morals as Harry Potter, for Merlin's sake."

Cassie smiled slightly. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive, honey."

Cassie curled against his chest. She couldn't stop the flow of tears. Draco smoothed her hair and held her tightly as she sobbed. He cried for the first time in nearly a decade, but for his daughter and not for his newly deceased father.


	22. Real

Chapter 21

* * *

><p>Cassie woke to someone shaking her shoulder. She opened her eyes and stared up into her mother's face. Her mother's face was as familiar as always – fragile boned and delicate, with a pair of oddly curved scars on her jaw, and wide blue eyes that were bluer than anything Cassie had ever seen.<p>

"You're about fifteen minutes late to breakfast. Do you want to go?" She stepped back when Cassie sat up. "I brought you some clothes."

Cassie looked at the jeans and the British International Quidditch t-shirt. She smiled when she saw the shirt; she still couldn't believe that they wanted her on the team!

"Thanks, mum." She reached for the clothes and pulled them on underneath the sheets of the infirmary cot.

"Just a minute, Miss Malfoy." Madam Pomfrey bustled up to her. She was carrying a small vial of a green liquid. "Take this before you go. It will keep away the headaches and most of the sore muscle in your leg."

Cassie downed it, grimacing at the taste. "Thank you." She swung her legs around and slid her feet into her worn out sneakers. "Mum, how long are you going to be here?"

"I think we're leaving today. I helped Harry round up that stray Dementor last night and Lucius was brought out of the Forbidden Forest on the first day."

"You don't even know when you're leaving?" Cassie looked amused. She stood up and winced when she felt the weakness of her right leg.

"Here." Roxanne held out a long black cane.

"I'm not crippled." Cassie said coldly.

"Yes, you are." Roxanne frowned. "Use it, Cassie, or else you'll make a fool of yourself and fall down the stairs."

Cassie scowled and took it. She tested it out. "I'm going to be so pissed if this keeps me from flying."

"It won't." Roxanne patted Cassie's cheek. "Now, go on."

Cassie hobbled from the infirmary, trying to figure out exactly how to use the cane. She found that her bond with James was muddled and weak, most likely due to the medicine Madam Pomfrey gave her.

Cassie half fell down the stairs, gripping the wall with one hand and limping with the cane. She grimaced and filled the air with swears. She continued to shuffle down the corridor. She was exasperated and so focused on walking that she couldn't think about any of the memories that had plagued her all that night.

Cassie somehow managed to reach the doors of the Great Hall. She rubbed her stiff leg before pushing open one of the doors. It creaked loudly, making Cassie wince as she stumbled in.

Everyone turned to look at her. The entire room fell silent.

Cassie looked for James at once, a giddy kind of nervousness filling her. She spotted him, sitting with his back to her and talking to Rose and Lily. Albus sat by his side. Cassie noticed that many of the kids held papers.

Except now, they were all looking directly at her. Cassie took a couple steps forward, her cane making a hollow noise against the stone floor.

Rose leapt to her feet suddenly. "Cassie!" She shouted.

Cassie smiled weakly, leaning on the cane. Her eyes moved nervously to James' face. He had whirled around and now he was staring at her. He stood and began to walk towards her in a cautious manner. He looked wary of her, as if he expected her to flee in a moment.

_Cassie. _His voice broke through the haze of the bond.

Cassie forgot the hundreds of pairs of eyes on her. She forgot that the teachers were watching her warily. She forgot that she had almost just lost her life She forgot the freshly healed wound that had rendered her right leg useless.

Cassie dropped the cane.

She was running towards him. Somehow, he weak leg didn't hinder her.

And then Cassie crashed into him, her arms wrapping around his neck. And James' arms were painfully tight around her waist. She was clinging to him. Their minds ran together so forcefully that she couldn't tell which mind was hers and which was his.

Then she was kissing him, or he was kissing her. It didn't matter because he was safe and she was safe and Lucius Malfoy was dead and she knew that she loved him.

Cassie distantly heard Lily laugh.

She didn't care. Her entire mind was full of James.

_You don't seem quite so confused anymore. _James managed to push that one thought through the bond.

Cassie laughed against his mouth and pulled back. She had her fingers twined in the hair at the nape of his neck. "You're alive." She whispered.

"I should be the one saying that to you." He whispered back. "You had a hole in your leg bigger than a Snitch and your artery was cut in your arm."

"I'm fine now. I just have a lot of ugly scars."

His fingers traced the scar down the side of her neck. "They're not that bad."

Cassie spent a minute just reassuring herself that he was alive and well.

"You do realize everyone is staring at us?" James asked.

Cassie let James set her gingerly on her feet and help her to the bench. She leg ached after running the few dozen feet. She summoned her cane from the place it had fallen on the floor.

Lily hugged her from across the table. "You scared me half to death!"

Rose grinned. "You're in the paper and you woke up in time to go to the ball tonight."

Cassie had forgotten about the ball. "I'm in the paper?"

"Here." Albus handed her that day's Prophet.

_**MALFOY HEIR UNCOVERS PETITIONING SCANDAL AND KILLS LUCIUS MALFOY.**_

There was an image of Lucius alive, and image of her after the most recent Quidditch game, and an image of Lucius' body. Cassie cried out slightly and threw the paper away from her. She didn't want to see that body again!

_Cassie. _James reached under the table to lace his fingers with hers.

_I just want them out! _She felt tears prick her eyes. _Will these images always haunt me?_

_My father said that after a while, you learn to adapt to it. I wouldn't know how, but I trust my dad._

Cassie clung to his hand and reached towards the paper again. James caught her wrist.

"Do you really want to look at it?" Lily asked.

"I just want to read it." Cassie tried her best to ignore the image of Lucius' body on the front page.

She let James support her as she read.

She frowned. "This is complete rubbish. They don't mention the Dementor or the fact that I initiated that last duel."

James was surprised she was taking it so well. "Lily, Rose and I refused to speak to the reporters, so they didn't have the full story. They couldn't interview you because you were asleep for days."

"Are they still here?"

Rose tapped the table and then pointed up towards the long table at the front of the Great Hall. "One of them refuses to leave." She said bitterly.

Cassie looked at the blonde woman, who looked to be the age of her grandmother but was trying desperately to be younger. She hissed under her breath. "Rita Skeeter." The reporter had harassed her family for years.

Rose nodded. "She's probably ecstatic; she's desperate to get dirt on both of our families. Not to mention the Potters always make for good selling stories."

Cassie untwined her fingers from James' and stood up.

"Cass?" He asked, not having to even start the question.

"I want this to be over with as soon as possible." She said. "There's a ball tonight I don't intend on being ruined by a nosey old woman."  
>Lily snorted. "It's not easy to shake her off the trail of a good story."<p>

"I have a knack of being in just the right places at just the right time." Cassie said with a wink. "I have more than enough blackmail on this woman."

Cassie still had to use the cane to walk towards the staff table. She halted about fifteen feet away. "Miss Skeeter." She called, tapping the cane on the stone floor to draw the attention to her.

The staff table fell silent. Many of the students paused their conversations to look at the scene unfolding in front of them. Rita Skeeter looked at the tall girl with hunger sparking in her eyes.

"Yes, Miss Malfoy?"

Cassie's pale eyes sharpened. Her back straightened and her chin thrust forward. McGonagall, sitting quietly in the Headmistress' chair, was suddenly reminded of Cassie's mother – so fiercely stubborn that she seemed to charge to air with electricity.

"I do believe you're looking for a story." Cassie's voice was light and innocent, but James could hear the anticipation lying underneath; she was excited for this. It was a worthy distraction.

Rita Skeeter smiled tightly. "This is a very… interesting scandal."

Cassie suddenly grinned. "As interesting as _your _scandal?" She turned and began to walk back down the aisle. "I'll give you a direct interview, if you wish."

Rita Skeeter practically fell over her own feet in her haste to follow Cassie. James watched Cassie, concern filling his face. She winked at him. _I know what I'm doing._

_Please don't end up hexing the woman or something._

She grinned. _I'll try not to._

Cassie led the reporter to a small alcove not far from the Great Hall. Her leg was throbbing and she wanted to rest it. She put a silencing spell on the room without Skeeter noticing. She glanced at the charmed quill that was already scratching across the paper. She narrowed her eyes at it. She _hated _that blasted quill.

"So, what would you like to know?" She asked smoothly, leaning onto the window sill to take her weight off of her right leg.

"How did your father react when he found out that his only daughter killed his father?" Rite asked at once.

Cassie kept her turmoil hidden. "I wouldn't know. I was passed out for days after nearly being killed by a psychotic Death Eater."

Rita made a small noise in the back of her throat. "How did it feel, using Old Magic to kill someone?"

Cassie's eyes narrowed. "How do you think it would feel?"

"You have Death Eater blood in your veins; did you relish the feel of power?"

Cassie's temper flared. "What kind of person do you think I am?" She snapped.

Rita studied her over the rims of her glasses. "The arrogant daughter of a Death Eater."

Cassie ground her teeth together. "I'm also the daughter of two of the _best _Aurors in the world. Is that supposed to decide my personality?"

"Your mother of course had a terrible influence on you, having killed someone in cold blood when she was only seventeen. How does it feel knowing that your mother is a heartless killer?"

Cassie lost it. "That's _enough_!" She shouted, grabbing the charmed quill out of the air and snapping it in half. "You of all people have no right to insult my entire family." She grew even angrier when another charmed quill appeared over the paper, scribbling furiously.

"How do you think Harry Potter feels about his son being charmed by the daughter of his childhood enemy? Are you poisoning James Potter and manipulating the influence of his name to your own advantage?"

Cassie clenched her fists. "How do you think the world would feel, knowing about your past?" She snarled.

Rita laughed. "What past are you talking about? I'm a famous reporter!"

"And a conspirator. Do you think you would be able to find a job if they knew that you were working with Voldemort through the First _and _Seconding war to build your own reputation? And how about when they find out that you're an unregistered Animagus?" Cassie snorted when she saw Rita pale. "Yes, I know about that. I'm a Malfoy, I have more connections and influence than you will ever have, even if I am still a student."

"You wouldn't dare!" Rita snapped. "I'll publish the worst dirt I can find on you."

Cassie raised her eyebrows. "What dirt do you expect to find? I've lived my life in the public eye. Besides, who would people believe? You? Or me?"

Rita's face flushed with anger. "You insolent brat!"

Cassie smirked. "Maybe, but I'm still the heir to the Malfoy and the Garniar families. Trust me when I say that you don't want to be on my bad side." She stood, using her cane more than she had before. "You will not publish _anything _about me or the death of my grandfather. Am I understood?"

Rita glared at her, but she was cornered.

Cassie walked by her. "Oh, and I'll be taking this." She snatched the piece of paper that the charmed quill had filled with words. "Have a good day, Miss Skeeter."

Cassie hobbled down the hallway away from the nasty woman. She grimaced in pain, rounding the corner and slumping against the wall. She pressed her hand against her thigh. Gold light flickered around her fingers and sunk into her skin. She felt it twist around the newly grown muscle, bone, and sinew. It eased the pain and the tension that was there.

"Merlin." She gasped.

"You should go back to the infirmary if it's hurting you." James surprised her as he rounded the corner.

"You could have given me a warning." She said. Her stomach twisted oddly when she saw him. She thought for a moment that she was going to throw up again.

He held out his hand. "Come on, I'll bring you there."

She took his hand, leaning against him. "I don't want to spend any more time in there. You know how I hate it."

"I don't see why." He said with a grin. "You're spending a lot of time there lately."

She laughed. "Because I definitely did that on purpose."

They walked down the corridor; Cassie weak and limping and James strong and supportive. Cassie was frightfully nervous, but she scolded herself for it. Had anything really changed between them or was she just suddenly aware of the truth?

"How are you feeling?" James asked.

"Sore." She said.

"I meant mentally. How are you coping?"

Cassie sighed. "I know. I'm just… I keep seeing flashes of memory. I hate it."

His thumb rubbed comforting circles on the back of her hand. "You'll get through it, I know you will. You're strong."

"Even the strongest break."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." He leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "And you're very alive."

Cassie felt herself blush. How long had James been waiting for her to realize her own feelings? How long had he been waiting to stop hiding his feelings?

"Only since I was eight."

Cassie looked up in surprise. "_Eight _years?" She cried.

He shrugged. "I'm patient. You're not."

She scowled, but then she got distracted by a tugging at her mind. _Cassie, we're leaving. _Her father's voice echoed in her head. _Come to the front of the school and stop flirting in the hallways._

Cassie tugged on James' hand. "Our parents are leaving. I want to say goodbye before they go."

"Is your father going to threaten me?" James asked lightly as they walked as quickly as Cassie could, which wasn't very fast, towards the entrance hall.

"He took it rather well, actually." Cassie thought about the conversation she had had with her parents. "I think mum already knew. She seemed rather smug when I asked if you had visited."

James shook his head. "I was actually worried about facing your father." He ran his free hand through his hair.

"Don't worry, I'd have protected you." Cassie said in a teasing voice. "My father's defenseless against my tears."

James laughed out loud. He helped Cassie down the front stairs and released her when they reached the front of the school.

"James." A tired looking Harry Potter strode towards them. "Hello, Cassie." He nodded to her. "Are you doing alright?"

"As well as would be expected." Cassie smiled. She moved away from them towards her parents.

"You make an odd cripple." Draco said with a grin.

Roxanne frowned and hit his shoulder lightly. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Cassie said. "Just a bit sore. Are you all done here, then?"

"Yes, we have to return to London and fill out a bunch of boring reports." Roxanne sighed. "The worst part of the job."

"Sounds better than risking your life." Cassie said.

"This was an easy job." Draco said. "You did most of the work for us."

Cassie looked away. "Glad I could help."

Roxanne put a hand on Cassie's arm. "The rest of the school year will be peaceful. Do well in your N.E.W.T. classes. Don't be a slacker."

"And win the House Cup." Draco said seriously. "Even if you are in Gryffindor."

Cassie smiled at her two Slytherin parents. "I am the best Chaser the school's seen since Aunt Ginny."

Draco suddenly grimaced. "Don't call her Aunt Ginny if you're dating her son."

Cassie blushed furiously. "Dad!"

Roxanne laughed. "Leave the girl alone, Draco."

"I'm her father; I have the right to tease her."

Cassie groaned. She shifted her weight off of her right leg. She saw some of the Aurors apparating. "Will you be able to come to the last Quidditch game?"

"We'll try to make it, I promise." Draco said.

"Malfoy!" Harry Potter said. Both of Cassie's parents turned. "Let's go."

Roxanne kissed Cassie's cheek. Draco ruffled her hair. "Owl us more often, kid."

Cassie smiled. She watched them walk to the spot where they could Apparate. James came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"It doesn't feel real." She said.

"What doesn't?"

"All of this. For the first time this school year, I'm safe and happy and not confused." She turned to smile up at him.

"Thank Godric for that." He said before leaning down the few inches to kiss her.


	23. The New Year's Ball

Chapter 22

* * *

><p>Cassie looked in the mirror for what must have been the twentieth time that evening. She felt sick. Her leg hurt. She hated the way her scars made her ugly.<p>

"Cassie." Lily called from behind the locked door. "We're already late. Can you just _please _come out?"

"I look awful!" Cassie cried back in despair.

She heard Rose sigh. "Cass, it's not possible for you to look awful. You honestly have the best genes in the school. Your bad day is the equivalent of most girls' good days. Come out. Cormac's probably waiting for me and James is probably waiting for you."

Cassie fidgeted. "I told James to meet me there."

"For Merlin's sake." Lily snapped. "_Alohomora._"

"Lily!" Cassie shouted as the door swung open.

Rose and Lily stared at her. They looked fantastic obviously. Lily's auburn hair had been straightened and tamed from its usual messy state. Her dress was white and somehow slimming, not that she needed it. Rose's hair was twisted and braided in a confusing manner on top of her head and her red dress clashed wonderfully with her hair.

"You honestly think _that's _awful?" Rose finally asked. "It's so unlike you to be so unconfident. Did you hit your head when you fell down the stairs earlier?"

Cassie flushed. "That's unfair! Lily broke my cane!"

Lily smiled. "I didn't mean to. Now, can we go? You look better than both of us."

Cassie looked again at the mirror. She had painstakingly curled all of her hair and clipped the front layers away from her face. It floated around her shoulders and bounced with every movement she made. Her makeup was heavier than usual, but still light. The part that stood out the most was her smoky eyes. Her scars shone against her skin; they were the first thing she noticed.

The one part she liked about her look was her dress. It was floor length and the color of darkly shimmering amethysts. It crossed tightly beneath her chest and again across the middle of her back. The sleeves were wide, but they only covered a few inches of her shoulders. It flowed gracefully from her stomach to her feet.

She wore no jewelry and her shoes were simple black stilettos.

"I hate dresses." She muttered.

Rose raised her eyebrow. "Well, they certainly like you. Can we go?"

"What if everyone laughs? What if I make a fool of myself?" Cassie was desperate and queasy.

"They won't laugh unless you trip or throw up."

"What if I do both?" She asked nervously.

Lily looped her arm through one of Cassie's and Rose took the other. "How are you nervous about this? You faced down a Death Eater and a Dementor and survived. You can manage to live through one ball."

"That's different! I know I'm powerful." Cassie groaned. "I hate people looking at me."

"What are you talking about? You love attention." Rose snorted. "Now, Cormac's right outside the portrait. Can you manage not to run away screaming?"

All Cassie could think about was how much Rose's dress looked like blood. Rose released her arm to duck through the portrait hall and step into the hallway.

Cormac kissed Rose's cheek. His eyes widened slightly at Cassie, but she was too distracted to notice and Rose wasn't one to get jealous.

Lily and Cassie walked several yards behind Rose and Cormac.

"Are you going to be alright?" Lily asked when they reached the entrance to the Great Hall. Rose and Cormac had already disappeared through the open doors.

Cassie's leg barely hurt anymore. Physically, she was fine.

"Are you sure that I look alright?"

Lily sighed. "You're more beautiful than your mum. It wouldn't matter to James."

"But we're-."

Lily silenced her with a look. "My brother has been hopelessly in love with you for years. Your appearance will not change that. In fact, tonight, it will only make him sappier."

"James isn't sappy."

"No, but he might start tonight." Lily tugged Cassie's arm. "Stop being a wuss."

"I am not a wuss." Cassie stepped forward, defiantly brave.

* * *

><p>"Is she alright?" James asked Rose when she appeared at his side with Cormac.<p>

"Can't you just ask her?" She raised her brows. It wasn't a secret between them that James and Cassie had made the bond.

"She asked me not to. I try to respect her wishes, but I could feel her nervousness for about an hour and a half now." James sighed.

"It's Cassie." Hugo said, pausing his conversation with his own girlfriend. "Pretty sure a ball won't make her run for cover."

"Finally." James heard Rose mutter under her breath.

He turned with a question on the tip of his tongue. All his thoughts seemed to scatter when he saw Cassie. She was beautiful on even her worst days, but he had never seen her purposely trying to make herself look better. Part of him was glad she didn't, he wouldn't be able to keep up an intelligent conversation if she did. There were no words that he could think of that would do her justice.

As soon as she was close enough, she abandoned Lily's arm for James' hand. She squeezed it and frowned when he didn't respond. It jolted him.

"Hi." He said stupidly.

She pressed a hand against his forehead. "Are you alright? You look kind of like you're going to faint."

James felt heat rise in his face when the others laughed. "I'm fine." He said stubbornly.

"Good." Cassie's eyes lit up when Albus handed her a glass. "What's this?"

He grinned. "The professors think that it's Butterbeer. You're now drinking specially charmed Firewhiskey, courtesy of my wonderful House." He bowed slightly.

"Fantastic." Cassie said, taking a large swallow. "I could use a drink or four."

She looked up at James, surprised to find that he was still looking at her. A thought flashed through her mind, that he heard. _I knew they were lying. I look awful._

James felt shock ripple through him. She actually thought she looked bad? Was she blind? James dipped his head down to kiss her mouth warmly.

"You are the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen." He whispered so that only she could hear.

She blushed. "Oh."

James grinned. "Albus, hand me some of that Firewhiskey!"

Cassie laughed and finished her glass. "I want to dance."

James downed a glass. "Let's go then."

* * *

><p>Hours later, Cassie and James stumbled back up to the Gryffindor common room. The others had left nearly twenty minutes before them. Cassie was tipsy and James was half carrying her.<p>

"You're a terrible dancer." Cassie said, not for the first time.

"And you are a terrible drinker."

Cassie scowled. "I am not. I had _more _to drink than you."

James laughed. "That's obvious. I'm surprised McGonagall didn't catch you."

"I think she knew." Cassie's words started to run together. "She's smarter than she looks and she looks very smart."

"Merlin, you are so wasted."

"At least I can still dance when I am. You can't even dance sober." She stumbled slightly on an uneven stone. Her right leg gave out. "Shit."

James lifted her up with one arm. She laughed like a child as her feet lifted off the ground. James set her down off to the side of the hallway.

"You're heavier than you look."

She pouted. "Are you calling me fat? I'm just strong. Muscle is heavier than fat, you know."

James put a hand over her mouth and leaned closer to her until his forehead knocked against hers. "Would you shut up, Cassie? I was trying to-."

"I know." She interrupted, pulling his hand away from her mouth. She grinned. "I can read your mind, remember."

She tugged the lapel of his suit so that she could reach his face.

James laughed against her mouth.

_Stop laughing whenever you kiss me. _She grumbled. _It's insulting._

He obeyed her; he couldn't say no to her. He tilted her head up, pressing his mouth gently against hers. She frowned and surged up on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him hungrily.

_Greedy. _He thought.

_Tease. After panning after me for eight years, you'd think-… _

She wasn't able to finish her thought as he lifted her up and pressed his hand to the small of her back. Warmth flooded both of them. As it had before, their minds ran together. His thoughts were hers and her thoughts were his. They moved together perfectly because of this; he knew exactly what she wanted and she knew exactly what he liked without having to gauge his reaction.

Cassie wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her entire torso against him. She felt the cool material of her dress slide up her legs. James pushed her against the wall, his hands skimming down her sides. Cassie ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him ever closer.

"Oi! You there!"

Cassie groaned in frustration against his mouth. James let her slide to her feet. She smoothed down her skirt while James tried to flatten his hair. They turned sheepishly towards the person jogging towards them.

Louis Weasley's face was illuminated by his wand. When he saw who he had caught, he frowned. "James. Cassie." He said with disproval.

James avoided looking directly at his cousin. Cassie grinned. "Hello, there Head Boy Weasley."

James groaned.

Louis frowned. "Are you drunk, Cassie?"

"No." She answered quickly. "There was only Butterbeer at the ball. Speaking of which, I didn't see you there. Did you ask-?"

James wrapped his arm around Cassie's neck and covered her mouth with his hand. "Sorry about this, Louis. We'll get straight back to the common room."

The Ravenclaw frowned. "I'm going to have to write you two up. It is way past curfew and the ball ended nearly an hour ago. What have you two been doing?"

"Oh, you know." James said with a nervous laugh. "Talking and walking."

"And snogging!" Cassie said with a laugh. She had wrapped her hand around James'. She twined their fingers together and swung their hands back and forth between them. "You know how time flies when you're snogging, don't you Louis?"

Louis rolled his eyes. "You're as wild as always, aren't you Cassie?"

She winked. "Just enjoying New Year's."

"Can you just let us off with a warning?" James asked. "You know, as a family privilege?"

Louis looked between the two of them. Then he sighed. "Fine, but get to the common room, _now._ If I hear that another Prefect caught you, you'll be in detention for two weeks."

"Yay!" Cassie tugged James' hand. "Thank you Frenchie!"

Louis shook his head. "You're as French as I am, Cassie."

Cassie looked over her shoulder with a grin. "_Oui. Oui._"

"Thanks, Louis." James called as they disappeared into the shadows.

As soon as they rounded the corner, James glared at Cassie. "Sober up."

Gold light shone through Cassie's skin as it shot through her blood. It passed through James just as swiftly. She frowned. "Why?" She asked, her eyes clear again.

James rubbed his head. "You were acting, weren't you?"

"Of course." Cassie said. "A bit back there."

He shook his head. "Aren't you tired?"

She shook her head and spun away from him, twirling her arms around her. "I've been sleeping for days. I'm so full of energy!"

James and Cassie halted in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"You two are late." She said with a frown. "Where were you?"

Cassie shrugged one shoulder. "We were helping clean up after the ball." She grabbed James' hand. "Forget-me-nots." She said smugly.

The Fat Lady frowned but swung open anyways.

Cassie collapsed onto a large red couch with a loud sigh. James threw his coat onto the back of the couch, undoing his tie with his other hand. He looked around.

"No one's up anymore." He said.

"You're handsome." Cassie said through a yawn.

James looked at her, frowning.

"What? I thought we were stating the obvious." She smiled at him sweetly.

James shook his head and sat on the arm of the couch. He wrapped a hand around Cassie's ankle and twisted it to look at her shoes. "How the hell do you walk in these?"

"I don't. I just kind of stumble gracefully around." _They hurt like hell, too._

He grinned, pulling them off her feet and dumping them onto the floor. "I can bring you upstairs if you want."

It was her turn to grin. "Trying to get me in bed?"

He flushed. "No! Of course not." He answered hurriedly.

She sat up on the couch. "Any normal girl would have just been offended."

James reached out to tug on one of her curls. They had become a mess through the night. "But you're not exactly a normal girl, are you?"

Cassie scowled. "That's not fair."

She tugged on his arm, pulling him down onto the couch. He landed half on top of her. He tried to shift his weight off of her for a moment, but she melted against his chest and kissed him. He sighed, kissing her back. Cassie pulled him back against the couch.

James rolled so that most of his weight wasn't on her; she refused to break the kiss._ You really aren't tired, are you?_

She smiled and pulled away. "Nope, but you are." She burrowed against his chest.

James sighed and wrapped one arm around her waist, sliding the other underneath her head. He rested his chin on the top of her head.

Several minutes later, Cassie poked him in the chest. "Jamie?"

He groaned, half asleep.

"Jamie!"

"What?" He looked at her with bleary eyes.

She gathered a fistful of his shirt. "I love you."

He smiled sleepily. "I know. I love you, too."

"This may not be the best time, but I got you a Christmas present."

"I like presents." He murmured.

"I'll be right back?" She sat up slightly.

"I'll be here."

Cassie dashed up the stairs to her dorm. Rose and Lily were fast asleep in their own beds. Lily was only half out of her dress, collapsed against her pillows. She knelt next to her bed and rummaged around, careful not to make too much noise.

"There you are." She muttered, grabbing hold of the box wrapped in plain brown paper and twine. She tucked it under her arm and returned to the common room.

She had half expected James to have fallen back asleep, but he was sitting up and there was a small box in his hands. Cassie smiled and sat next to him.

"Here. You first." She handed him to package.

He opened it and then opened the rough black box. "A mirror?" He asked, lifting it up.

"It's a communication mirror. I have the other one. I figure since we're usually in separate detentions and don't see each other much over holidays, it could be helpful. Not to mention, if I get onto the English National Quidditch team, I won't be home a lot."

He grinned. "Where'd you get it?"

"I made it, of course." She said haughtily.

He leaned forward to kiss her. "Clever girl." He said with a smile. "Here."

Cassie opened it with excitement, but her feelings plummeted when she saw the tiny black velvet box. "James." She said sharply.

He snorted. "Relax, Cassie. We're sixteen. Just open it."

She let out her breath in relief and opened the box. "Oh." She gasped as she looked down at the necklace nestled against the black velvet.

A red gem the size of her thumbnail hung from a gold chain. It sparkled, even in the dark that surrounded them.

"James." _It's too much._

He shook his head. "It was a family heirloom. It belonged to a Potter a long time ago."

"Then Lily should have it!" Cassie cried. "Not me. For Merlin's sake, I gave you a mirror; you can't give me a _ruby _necklace."

"Fine." James shrugged and took the box from Cassie. "If you want."

Cassie was confused; he didn't seem to be insulted at all. He yawned largely.

"You're tired." She said and stood. "Goodnight." She was about to turn.

Suddenly, James' arm snaked around her waist and tugged her back to the couch. She tumbled against his chest.

"Goodnight." He said against the back of her head.

Cassie twisted to press herself against him. She smiled and strained upward to kiss his jaw. "Goodnight, Jamie."


	24. Epilogue

Epilogue

* * *

><p>Cassiopeia Malfoy stood in the middle of the cemetery. A warm June breeze tugged at her hair and rustled the tree branches above her. She looked down at the plain granite headstone.<p>

_**LUCIUS MALFOY**_

_**WHO BORN AND DIED A DIFFERENT PERSON**_

Cassie sighed as she dropped the single scarlet tulip onto the grave. The Christmas Day of her sixth year at Hogwarts still haunted her day and night. There were moments when the most unrelated of observations were trigger a memory and Cassie had to stop and wait as the nausea, muscle spasms, guilt, and overall revulsion passed over her. Even now, a year and a half later, the memories were just as vivid and horrible.

Cassie swallowed back a shudder and her hand went to the ruby necklace around her throat. She had never taken off the oddly sparkling necklace since the night James had hung it around her neck while she slept. She drew strength and comfort from it when it felt like she had none.

She stood over Lucius' grave for the first time since she had killed him. She had something to say that even she didn't quite understand but she was determined to put it into the right words.

Swirling thoughts made it impossible for Cassie to think in the direction she meant to. She didn't know what it was she had to say to this man; this dead man who couldn't even hear her. Whatever words she said would fall upon the deaf ears of the dead.

"I hate you." She blurted. It was the one coherent thought in her head at the moment. "I was too young to be fighting; to be _killing. _Yet you forced me to do it. You gave me no choice. Maybe that was your plan though, make me hate myself. There are times I still think that I'm a monster. Everyone says I'm not, but I feel the lure of the power that's already mine. It's there, not that I mean to use it, but it's always there."

Of course, there was no answer save for the calming of the wind.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be the granddaughter you wanted. As much as I hated you and didn't agree with any of your morals, and despite the fact that I killed you, I do wish I had a grandfather. The again, it isn't _you _that I wanted. I just wanted someone to be a grandfather to me. Because mum's an orphan I don't have one."

Cassie sniffed and laughed humorlessly.

"Of course, you know that. You're sister-in-law was the one who killed them."

She tilted her face towards the sun as a couple of tears slid down her cheeks. "My family is so fucked up." She whispered.

"I pity you, actually." She said to the gravestone. "Something broke you and bent you into a twisted version of yourself, I think. If you had been stronger, maybe you'd be free and alive today. Maybe you could have appreciated the incredible family that's yours.

"Because as twisted as our family is, it's still a family. And we're so strong, I guess." She frowned. "That doesn't sound right. We're… imperfect." She smiled wryly. "That sounds better. Mum's a halfblood, which doesn't matter to anyone anymore, but she's overprotective and has a temper as short as mine. And she's all action in every aspect of her life – work, leisure and family. She's so strong that she doesn't get thrown off by anything.

"Dad's too unsure of himself. He worries that he'll become you, you know? He's terrified that he'll be a terrible father, that he'll ruin the family. He doesn't realize that he's such a good father – he's there for me when I need him and he seems to understand me without really trying."

Cassie swallowed her tears. "Why couldn't you have accepted us?" She whispered. "Me and mum are just the same as you. We're strong. We have just as much magic as you and just as much money. How is it possible that blood meant so much to you?" She sighed. "I'm not getting any answers. This is ridiculous. I'm just spouting nonsense at a headstone. Goodbye, Lucius."

She turned on her heel and walked away, maneuvering carefully through the line of graves. She was surprised that her chest actually felt lighter. She found herself smiling sadly as she walked towards the black iron gate.

* * *

><p>James had one of his hands in his pockets, turning the small velvet box there over and over again. He had been doing this for weeks now whenever he thought deeply. The contents of that box was the largest purchase he had ever made; he was terrified of losing it and kept it with him at all times; he also didn't know when the moment would be right to put it to use.<p>

James was standing alone beside the black iron gate when he felt Cassie emerge from cemetery. He turned his head to watch her.

Even now he was amazed by her.

She was tall and lean; she walked smoothly, practically gliding forward in her confident steps. Her long straight hair was so pale that it glowed in the sunlight. Her features were fierce, not as pointed as her father's nor as delicate as her mother's, but a perfect mix of delicate bones and sharp angles. Even dressed in one of his t-shirts tucked into the waistband of torn black jean shorts, she was beautiful in an unconventional and noticeable way. She was made even more beautiful by the fact that she was completely unaware of it.

And Cassie was stronger than anyone he had ever known; anyone could see that clearly by her features and the way she carried herself.

For months, she had been riddled by guilt over the murder she committed. She blamed herself constantly, but she somehow managed to balance those feelings with her school work and Quidditch. It took James nearly two weeks to convince her to reopen her mind to him and help her ease the muddled feelings the she had hidden from him. She hated the fact that she was burdening him with her problems, but he had somehow managed to convince her that she needed someone's support.

He knew beyond a doubt that this was the girl he was going to marry.

Alarm shot through James when Cassie got closer to him; there were tears streaming down her face. She walked straight into his open arms. He didn't have to ask her what was wrong, she simply told him.

"Why didn't I just listen to you and tell McGonagall?" She sobbed. "Why was I so damned stubborn? I didn't even think about how I would stop him or how it would mess me up if I killed him!"

"Because sometimes you can't think that far ahead. Fear can make you act rashly."

"I shouldn't have killed him!" She was clutching at his t-shirt. "I should have just immobilized him or stunned him and then report him to the Aurors."

"He would have never stopped chasing after you, Cassie." James said, tightening his arms around her. "You would have lived your life looking over your shoulder. He would have found another way to escape and another way to terrorize your life."

"Maybe that would have been better."

James stroked her hair. "Do you know what my father said to me? That day the Aurors left the day of the ball?"

"What?" She sniffed.

"For escaping Azkaban, Lucius earned himself a higher security cell in prison. For threatening an underage witch, he earned a permanent life sentence in prison without any chance of early release. For physically attacked an underage witch and the extensive use of an Unforgiveable, he earned himself a death sentence."

Cassie pulled back, surprised. "A death sentence?"

James nodded. "Your father was the one chosen to perform it. In fact, he volunteered."

Cassie took a moment to soak this in. Her father had volunteered to kill his own father. And Lucius had been sentenced to death. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Because I didn't want to bother you with more information. You did your father a twisted favor by killing Lucius. You saved yourself. If you had been killed, I…" He swallowed. "I wouldn't be able to keep living."

"_Don't _say that!" She cried, beating his chest with her fists.

He grabbed her wrists. "Do you believe me?"

Cassie answered without hesitation. "Yes."

James smiled. "Good. Now, can we go? Your meeting with the coach of the English Quidditch Team is in a few hours."

Cassie looked down at the clothes she wore. "I should probably change."

James smiled at her and apparated them away from the cemetery.

* * *

><p>"James!" Cassie shouted down the hall as she walked towards the bedroom of her and James' small apartment. "Have you seen that blue shirt of mine? The one with the pearl-?" Cassie's abruptly stopped speaking as she walked into the bedroom.<p>

James had just slid something into his pocket, trying to compose his face into something of an innocent nature.

Cassie frowned. "What's that?"

"What's what?" He asked with wide eyes.

Cassie put her hand on her hips. "James Potter, I'm not stupid. You have something in your pocket!"

"I can't take you seriously in only a bra." He looked pointedly at her.

Cassie scowled at him. She wore hip hugging jeans and dark red sneakers. "Why won't you tell me? I want to know!"

James picked up a dark blue shirt from their dresser and tossed it at her. "You're going to be late; you only have fifteen minutes to get to London."

She pulled the blouse over her head. "That's not my fault! You distracted me for a couple of hours, in case you'd forgotten."

James blushed under his tan. "I remember quite well, actually."

Cassie smirked. "Now, where's my wand?"

He turned and spotted it on the opposite end table. "It's over there." He was about to reach for it, but suddenly Cassie leapt onto him.

She swiftly pinned his arms and legs to his side and reached towards his pocket. She was straddling his stomach to keep him still.

"Cassie, _don't!_" He shouted. "Stop it! C'mon, would you just-." He gave up when her hand fished into his pocket and drew out the little box.

Cassie slumped slightly. James was able to free his arms. She stared at the box; he could see that her hands shook slightly.

"Sorry." She said softly, putting the box down on his chest. "I probably should have listened."

"Probably." He picked it up with a sigh and twisted it between his fingers.

They sat in that position for a while; an awkward silence falling between them.

"I've had this thing for nearly a year, trying to figure out when the right time to give it to you. I was going to do it at graduation, but it seemed a little cliché."

James felt surprise run through her mind.

He laughed slightly. "You actually doubted that it was for you? Who else would it be for?"

She looked at her hands in shame. "A secret lover or something."

James smiled and reached up to brush her pouting lower lip. "I'm surprised you were so oblivious."

"I wasn't expecting it. I mean, we just graduated a couple of months ago and we only recently got the apartment. Aren't we young?"

"Does it matter? I've known since we were kids that you were the one I wanted to marry. Age won't change that." He ran his finger over the top of the lid, feeling where the velvet had nearly worn down to the box underneath from his own absent fingers rubbing over it.

"How are you so certain about such serious things?" Cassie asked quietly.

"How are you so unsure?"

"I'm not unsure!" She scowled. "I'm just… cautious."

"Those are synonyms, honey."

Cassie's frown made a crease between her brows. "So you've had that thing for a year. What? Just sitting in your trunk?"

James smiled. "Nice subject change, there. And no, it was in my pocket."

"For a year?"

He nodded. "Every minute of every day."

"Oh." She said softly. "And all this time, I had barely ever thought of… marriage."

James flipped the box open and set it on his chest in front of her. "Why don't you think about it now?"

He felt Cassie's leg tense around him slightly. She stared down at the ring that sat nestled against the crisp black velvet. She swallowed as her eyes followed the smoothly arched band and settled on the large diamond set between two smaller diamonds. It was so simple and yet so beautiful that it took her very breath away.

James saw darkness creep into her eyes. He knew exactly what she was going to say before she said it.

He caught her wrist and forced her to look down at him. "_Listen _to me, Cassie. Nothing could make me stop loving you. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past or what you're going to do in the future. _Nothing _will change the way I feel about you."

He didn't realize that that was exactly what she had needed to hear, so he was completely taken by surprise when she pulled him up slightly to kiss his mouth hard.

It was the kind of kiss that neither of them wanted to end, but one of them had to eventually or else they'd never stop.

James fumbled onto the blanket, where the engagement ring had fallen off of his chest. He lifted it between them as Cassie moved in to kiss him again. She pouted.

_Fine._

He smiled. "You have to let me do this the right way." He cleared his throat. "Will you, Cassiopeia Malfoy, marry me? Will you make me the-?"

Cassie couldn't help herself. She knocked him backwards, kissing him again. Her happiness overflowed into his mind. _Yes. Yes! Forever yes._

James grinned against her mouth, wrapping an arm around her waist and tugging her closer. His mouth melted against hers. She tugged him as close as she could and then closer.

_Your meeting… _James began.

"Shit!" Cassie shouted, leaping off of him. "Shit! Shit! _Shit!_" She grabbed a blazer from her closet and made her way towards the door. "I'll tell you as soon as I know the final decision. Merlin, he's going to kill me!"

James walked after her, amused. "Cassie!"

She whirled. Her eyes were wide. Her lips were swollen from their kiss. "What, James?"

He held out the box in the palm of his hand. "You're sort of forgetting something."

She grinned. James grabbed her wrist, yanking her towards him. He slid the ring onto her finger. As soon as he released her, she was kissing him again.

He put his hands on her hips and pushed her away. "_Go, _Cassie."

She pouted and pecked him again on the mouth.

"I love you." They said at the exact same moment.

Cassie's mouth lifted up in a smile. James pushed her towards the door. She stuck her tongue out at him before apparating with a loud crack. James apparated a moment later, heading towards his family home to tell her parents the news.

They both arrived at their destinations with wide smiles on their faces and full of charged happiness.


End file.
